MY FAVORITE DISH

Today, I will introduce you to a popular dish in Vietnam that originates from the
South, named "Summer roll". In Vietnamese we call it “gỏi cuốn”. If you are too tired
of many starch-containing dishes like rice or noodles,… or maybe you’re just looking
for a simple starter for your meal. Summer roll would be a perfect choice.
What makes it so popular is that it’s easy to make, and the ingredients are easy to
find. The recipe for the roll dishes can be optional. That means depending on the region,
the ingredients for the rolls’ cover will be different. Sometimes, it’s just depending on
your preference. Mostly, there will be meat, lettuce, herbs and vermicelli. Meat is the
main ingredient that determines the taste and quality of the rolls. Meat can be beef,
pork, shrimp, fish or even crab. But with summer rolls, we often use pork and shrimp.
With herbs, we have basil, shiso, mint and chives. Each type of leaf has a different
scent. They combine to create a unique scent for the dish. In addition, we also have
bean sprouts and lettuce to lighten the flavor. As you know, bean sprout is a very good
source of dietary fiber. All the ingredients will be tightly rolled with rice paper.
When eating, we dip it in the sauce. The dipping sauce is the soul of this dish.
Depending on the region and the main ingredients, we have many different types of
sauces. There are 3 types of dipping sauce: mixed fish sauce, hoisin sauce, and a special
sauce called "mắm nêm". “Mắm nêm” is a sauce made of fermented fish. Unlike the
popular fish sauce, mắm nêm is powerfully pungent, similar to shrimp paste. It is
commonly mixed with sugar, pineapple, garlic and chilies. Vietnamese people usually
eat summer rolls with hoisin sauce or "mắm nêm".
Summer roll is not only easy to make, but also a delicious dish. Moreover, it
contains a lot of different nutrients because it is made from many ingredients. It
contains a sufficient amount of protein and the ratio of green vegetables is more than
starch. That’s why I like eating summer rolls.