The Danang-style pork roll, a well-known rustic dish, impresses diners right from the first bite
A set of Danang-style pork roll, or thit heo hai dau da in Vietnamese
The highlight of the dish is the pork with its skin and fat at two ends. The long thin slices of pork are a perfect blend between lean and fatty. The local cook often selects boneless leg pork. The pork is skillfully boiled to maintain its sweetness without being too chewy or dry. It is then cut into slices that are neither too thick nor thin, with the skin and fat at two ends. That’s why the dish is called thit heo hai dau da in Vietnamese (pork with skin and fat at two ends).
Slices of boiled pork are served with thin steamed rice cakes made from rice flour, banh da or Vietnamese-style grilled dry pancakes and fresh herbs.
The pork rolls are not complete without a dipping sauce, which is a mixture of anchovy fish sauce, minced garlic, green chilis and some lemon juice.
When all the ingredients are rolled together and the roll is dipped into the sauce, diners can taste the sweetness, the fat of the cooked meat and the fresh taste of the herbs. Finally, what lingers on the tip of the tongue is the dipping sauce that is neither too thick nor thin, and is bursting with spicy and light salty flavors.
By Quynh Han - Tien Sa
