Fermented pork sausage from the Coconut region is gaining popularity among consumers during Tet (Lunar New Year).
(Baonghean.vn) - When mentioning fermented pork sausage (nem chua), people immediately think of Thanh Hoa province. However, for nearly two years now, fermented pork sausage from the Coconut Land (Tuong Son, Anh Son) has been very popular with consumers because of its unique flavor. During Tet (Lunar New Year), the sausage produced cannot meet market demand.
Ms. Le Thi Chung's house, located in a small alley in Hamlet 3, Tuong Son Commune (Anh Son District), is always bustling, especially during the Lunar New Year season. The small, neat, and clean house also serves as the family's fermented pork sausage (nem chua) production facility.
“Previously, I did all kinds of jobs to make a living, but it was just enough to get by day to day, lacking sustainability. In 2021, at the suggestion of an acquaintance, I went to Thanh Hoa to learn how to make fermented pork sausage. By 2022, I started a production workshop at home,” Ms. Chung said.
Nem chua is already a famous specialty of Thanh Hoa, therefore, conquering the market is not easy. Besides competing on price, the important thing is that the processing must produce a quality product that suits the taste of the local people.
"Making fermented pork sausage requires a secret recipe, because among the thousands of fermented pork sausage producers nationwide, each has its own unique secret, creating a difference that attracts customers. But one thing in common is that the ingredients must be meat from a healthy pig, freshly slaughtered and still warm; using pork loin will give it a better taste and color."
"Next, we need to figure out how to properly add pork skin and roasted rice flour, and implement a suitable fermentation process to ensure the final product delivered to consumers is delicious and memorable," Ms. Chung explained.
Every day, from dawn, Ms. Chung wakes up and goes to the market to select fresh, high-quality pork skin and meat. The secret to making delicious spring rolls lies in the pork skin being fresh, clean, and crispy. The skin processing requires meticulous care. After purchasing, the skin is washed thoroughly with salt water and then boiled until cooked. After removing it from the water, it is immediately poured into cold water to make it crispy and easier to clean, removing any remaining fat; then it is finely chopped like vermicelli noodles.
The pork must be lean, carefully trimmed, and finely minced. Then, the minced pork and pork skin are mixed thoroughly with dry roasted salt, fish sauce, black pepper, and roasted rice powder. Roasted rice powder is a crucial ingredient that gives each type of nem its unique flavor. It is made from rice that is roasted until golden brown and fragrant, then ground very finely.
To give the fermented pork sausage (nem) its rich, slightly spicy, and aromatic flavor, essential ingredients include leaves such as fig leaves, guava leaves, and Gynura procumbens leaves, along with garlic and chili peppers. The sausage is hand-shaped, garnished with thinly sliced chili peppers and garlic. It's then wrapped in plastic wrap before being tightly packed in multiple layers of banana leaves. The fermentation time varies depending on the weather.
With the recipe she's learned and her own secret techniques, the spring rolls from Coconut Land have just the right amount of sourness, a delicate aroma, and a perfect balance of sour, spicy, and sweet flavors, making them very popular in the market. Every day, Ms. Chung's spring roll production facility makes about 2,000 spring rolls, supplying the local market within the district and providing employment for 4 local workers.
During the Lunar New Year period, the demand is particularly high, requiring the mobilization of nearly a dozen family members and relatives each day to work and support each other. Currently, orders for the Lunar New Year have reached hundreds of thousands of items. In addition to fulfilling daily orders, the family has to work overtime and increase production to serve customers celebrating the holiday and for gift-giving purposes.
"The advantage is utilizing the local idle agricultural labor; the readily available raw materials result in competitive pricing. In particular, Tuong Son fermented pork sausage has a unique flavor that suits the tastes of consumers within the district and province, making it a popular choice. During the summer and peak Tet season, the amount of sausage produced is insufficient to meet market demand. Currently, we have to refuse many Tet orders," Ms. Chung said.
Mr. Nguyen Tai Quy, Chairman of the People's Committee of Tuong Son commune (Anh Son district), said: "The nem (fermented pork sausage) making profession is a new occupation that has only been introduced to the locality for the past two years. Although the income from making nem chua is not yet very high, it is still many times higher than agricultural production. Initially, the market is wide open, no longer confined to the district or province, but reaching many provinces and cities nationwide, appearing in many restaurants and hotels, and especially being brought as gifts by children working far away."
In the near future, we will build a brand for Coconut Spring Rolls, connect with and find stable markets for the product, thereby creating jobs and increasing income for local people."
