Tin du lịch The flavor of Phủ Lý steamed rice rolls evokes memories of the hometown Hà Nam.

Phu Ly steamed rice rolls are among the most famous dishes in Ha Nam, offering a familiar hometown flavor that many people love. Steamed rice rolls are also a popular snack in the Red River Delta, and you can easily find them while sightseeing.

1. Phu Ly steamed rice rolls bring the hometown flavor of Ha Nam known far and wide​

Phu Ly city in Ha Nam is located in a prime location right at the southern gateway of Hanoi, known as a river junction where the Day, Nhue, and Chau Giang rivers converge. Not only is this a land of "heavenly time, favorable location, and harmonious people," but it is also the starting point for many unique culinary dishes such as the well-known Phu Ly steamed rice rolls.
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On the map of Vietnamese cuisine, there are many dishes named after their respective regions. The steamed rice rolls are extremely popular in the Red River Delta; you can enjoy Thanh Tri steamed rice rolls along the Red River, Thai Binh shrimp rice rolls, Halong squid rolls, or Lang Son egg rolls. Each place's steamed rice rolls have their distinctive flavor, and Phu Ly's steamed rice rolls are no exception.

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Thin steamed rice rolls are sprinkled with crispy fried onions and served with grilled pork skewers in a bowl of dipping sauce. Photo: Van Anh

2. Ingredients and characteristics contributing to the uniqueness of Phu Ly steamed rice rolls​

The main ingredients for making Phu Ly steamed rice rolls are similar to those used in many other places, including plain rice flour, dried onions, and wood ear mushrooms. The type of rice chosen must be the best quality glutinous rice. After being ground into rice flour, it will be soaked in water for about 2-3 hours, then spread thin to create visually appealing rolls. When just cooked, the rolls are sprinkled with a little dried onion and a few drops of pork fat for a delicious, rich flavor.

2.1 The filling in Phu Ly steamed rice rolls does not contain meat​

Compared to other types of steamed rice rolls, the defining feature of Phu Ly steamed rice rolls is that they usually do not contain meat filling. Accompanying foods are also not ordinary types of grilled sausage but rather grilled pork skewers. The grilled pork is made from fresh pork belly sliced thin. The meat is marinated well and skewered on bamboo sticks to grill over live coals. The grilled pork tastes best when cooked over medium heat and constantly fanned to prevent burning, keeping the meat tender while it sears.

2.2 Unique grilled pork (grilled sausage) with rich flavor​

Grilled pork, also known as grilled sausage, is made using a mixture of lean and fatty meat (shoulder butt, pork belly). The marinade comprises fish sauce, monosodium glutamate, dried onion, sugar, garlic, pepper, and sesame. The meat slices are tightly skewered and grilled over glowing coal.

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Grilled meat on a hot stove ensures it remains tender and juicy. Photo: Banh Cuon Cha Ha Trang - Phu Ly Steamed Rice Rolls - Ha Nam Specialty

2.3 Thin and delicious rice rolls served hot​

When you enjoy authentic Phu Ly steamed rice rolls, you'll see the image of a steaming pot boiling with smoke, with tightly stretched fabric frames placed snugly on top of the pot over the heat. The equipment for steaming is simply a coconut ladle to scoop the flour and a thin bamboo stick to flip the rolls. When steaming, the chef must master all the steps from spreading the batter, scraping, flipping, to removing the thin layer from the frame to ensure it does not tear.

The chef's hands quickly pour the flour into the frame, spreading it thin before covering to let the steam cook the batter. When the rolls turn the color of egg whites, the chef uses a bamboo stick to lift the roll out of the frame and continues with another batch.

Phu Ly steamed rice rolls must be evenly cooked, not shriveled, and rolled tightly without being dry or falling apart. Each thin roll is stacked together, and when customers arrive, the seller will carefully cut and arrange the rolls on a plate.

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The rolls are thinly spread before being covered.

2.4 Steamed rice rolls served cold with hot dipping sauce​

Phu Ly steamed rice rolls are soft and chewy, not made in two thick layers like Hung Yen rice rolls. The locals prefer eating "cold rice rolls with hot dipping sauce." However, to create a delicious dipping sauce, the person mixing it must follow a secret formula, balancing the sourness of vinegar, the aroma of garlic, the spiciness of chili, neither too salty nor too bland, making it just right.

The grilled pork is dipped in the sauce, accompanied by pickled vegetables and a few slices of green papaya. When eating, diners must soak a piece of the white roll into the dipping sauce and eat it along with the grilled meat. The accompanying herbs include lettuce, bean sprouts, perilla, and cilantro to avoid overwhelming flavors.

Currently, in Phu Ly, there are also traditional eateries that wait for customers to start making the rolls. Just-steamed rolls are placed on trays, adding minced meat, wood ear mushrooms, dried onions on top with a few drops of fat for a smooth, soft texture, rolled, and cut into bite-sized pieces.

3. How to make delicious Phu Ly steamed rice rolls at home​

Ingredients needed: Rice flour made from glutinous rice or plain rice, 300 grams of pork belly or pre-purchased grilled pork, purple onion, assorted herbs, seasonings (fish sauce, seasoning powder, lemon, chili…)

Step 1: Soak the flour overnight, then grind it into rice flour, continue soaking the flour, and filter it a few times until the flour is transparent and smooth, ensuring that the steamed rolls will not be mushy.

Step 2: Slice pork belly into thin slices, marinate with fish sauce and various other seasonings to taste for 15-20 minutes, then skewer and grill.

Step 3: Steam the rolls on the stove. If you don't have a specialized steamer, you can use a regular pot at home. Brush oil on top, evenly spread the batter, cover, and wait about 15 minutes for cooking. When the rolls are cooked, place them on a plate, cut into bite-sized pieces, and sprinkle fried onions on top.

Step 4: Make the dipping sauce with the ratio: 1 tablespoon of rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon of fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and 6-7 tablespoons of cooled boiled water.

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The rolls have an impressive thinness without being broken.

4. Frequently asked questions about Phu Ly steamed rice rolls​

4.1 Addresses selling delicious Phu Ly steamed rice rolls locally​

Banh Cuon Cha Ly Tuyen

Address: 386 Le Loi Street, Tran Hung Dao, Phu Ly, Ha Nam

Grilled Pork Steamed Rice Rolls

Address: 75 Chau Cầu Street, Luong Khanh Thien, Phu Ly, Ha Nam

Huong Dinh Restaurant

Address: 120B Quy Luu, Phu Ly, Ha Nam

Grilled Pork Steamed Rice Rolls Shop

Address: 188 Bien Hoa, Phu Ly, Ha Nam

Hot Grilled Pork Steamed Rice Rolls

Address: 362 Ly Thuong Kiet, Thang Loi, Phu Ly, Ha Nam

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Fresh young herbs served with Phu Ly steamed rice rolls. Photo: Phu Ly Grilled Pork Steamed Rice Rolls

4.2 The difference between Phu Ly steamed rice rolls and Hanoi steamed rice rolls​

Hanoi locals choose minced lean pork for grilling, while for sliced grilled rolls, they prefer thinly sliced pork belly. In contrast, in Phu Ly, they only select pork shoulder with a bit of fat, sliced thinly. The dipping sauces for both types of steamed rice rolls are quite similar; however, the herbs used with Phu Ly rice rolls are similar to those served with bun rieu and bun oc in Hanoi.

The most distinctive feature of Phu Ly steamed rice rolls is perhaps their pure white color, being thin yet not as thin as Thanh Tri rice rolls. The batter is soaked and filtered thoroughly and frequently changed, so there is no sour smell. The plate of rolls is sprinkled with golden fried onions like Hanoi steamed rice rolls; the golden color of the fried onions should glisten with a hint of fat.

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Enjoying Phu Ly steamed rice rolls on-site while still hot is the best.
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This specialty dish of Phu Ly, Ha Nam is loved by foreign tourists as well. Photo: Phu Ly Grilled Pork Steamed Rice Rolls

If you have the opportunity to visit Ha Nam, do not forget to enjoy this delicious and unique Phu Ly steamed rice rolls. The deliciousness of this dish comes from eating it fresh and hot, releasing aromatic scents.