5 Diamond - Nem Lụi

Nem Lụi


Grilled Lemongrass Pork Skewers

Fragrant grilled pork skewers wrapped around lemongrass stalks, served with fresh herbs, rice paper, and a rich dipping sauce.

Other variations:

Nem lụi Huế, Nem lụi Đà Nẵng, Nem lụi cuốn bánh tráng, Nem lụi nướng than hoa

Category

Grilled Dish

Region

Central Vietnam

Preparation Time

1h00

Servings

4–5

Difficulty

Medium

About this recipe

Nem Lụi is a specialty of Huế and other central provinces. The pork is seasoned with aromatic spices, then molded onto lemongrass stalks and grilled over charcoal, creating a smoky fragrance. It is traditionally enjoyed as part of a wrap with rice paper, herbs, and vegetables, dipped in a peanut-hoisin sauce.

Ingredients List

500 g ground pork 100 g pork fat (minced) 6–8 lemongrass stalks (trimmed 15 cm long) 3 cloves garlic (minced) 2 shallots (minced) 2 tbsp fish sauce 2 tbsp sugar 1/2 tsp pepper rice paper fresh herbs (basil, mint, lettuce) pickled carrot and daikon 3 tbsp hoisin sauce 2 tbsp peanut butter 1 tbsp sesame seeds water as needed

Materials & Tools

Grill or charcoal stove mixing bowls knife and chopping board serving platter mortar and pestle or blender for dipping sauce

Preparation steps

Total Time :

1h00

Active Time :

1h00

Cooking Time

Step 1

Make Mixture

Mix ground pork, fat, garlic, shallots, fish sauce, sugar, pepper.

15 min

Step 2

Shape Skewers

Mold pork mixture evenly around lemongrass stalks.

10 min

Step 3

Grill

Grill skewers over charcoal until golden.

20 min

Step 4

Make Sauce

Simmer hoisin, peanut butter, sesame, water until smooth.

10 min

Step 5

Serve

With rice paper, herbs, pickles, dipping sauce.

10 min

Step 6

Step 7

Step 8

Chef’s Tips

Grilling over charcoal enhances the lemongrass aroma; keep pork mixture well-mixed for a cohesive, bouncy texture.

Serving Suggestions

Fresh herbs, rice paper, pickled vegetables, peanut-hoisin dipping sauce

Nutritional info

370kcal
21g protein
16g fat
32g carbs

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