Nem Cua Bể Recipe

Nem cua bể (Vietnamese crab spring rolls) embodies the essence of Vietnamese cuisine. It highlights the uses of fresh ingredients like crab meat, shrimp, pork, and savory dipping sauce.

If you want to make it at home, this is the right place for you. From the origin, necessary tools, and ingredients to detailed instructions and valuable tips to perfect this delicacy, you’ll learn so many new things here.

And the fun doesn’t stop there! I even include the ideal companions to serve with nem cua bể. So, keep scrolling down the page for more details.

The Origin of Vietnamese Crab Spring Rolls (Nem Cua Bể)

Nem cua bể is a popular dish from Hai Phong, a Northern coastal city. Hai Phong is well-known for fresh seafood, particularly crab, and this specialty is one of the most well-loved seafood dishes in the local area.

Nem cua bể is different from other Vietnamese spring rolls as it contains crab meat in the filling. Moreover, it has a square shape, unlike the regular tube shape.

These crab spring rolls often appear on special occasions and family gatherings at the dining table. It’s a special treat for the Vietnamese Lunar New Year (Tet) and wedding celebrations.

Necessary Tools for Nem Cua Bể

These Vietnamese crab spring rolls require many tools, such as a frying pan or air fryer. Here, I’ve already listed all the required tools to make your cooking process easier:

Ingredients of Nem Cua Bể

The list below contains all the ingredients in Vietnamese crab spring rolls.

For The Spring Rolls

For The Accompaniments

How To Make Vietnamese Nem Cua Bể

Making Vietnamese crab spring rolls consists of 6 main steps. I’ve described the process in detail, so you can easily replicate it.

Step 1: Prepare The Ingredients

Clean all vegetables under water and let them drain.

Prepare shrimps by removing their heads and guts. This is the quickest way to clean shrimp for you to follow.

Follow this simple guide to clean your crab. The process is easy to follow, making your crab spring rolls taste better.

Steam shrimp with scallions for 5 minutes. Then, steam the crab for 10 minutes.

Afterward, let these two ingredients cool and remove their meat from the shell.

Slice carrots, kohlrabis, and daikon. Pickle these ingredients with 2 teaspoons of sugar to create the necessary crunchiness for the pickles.

Next, peel and slice yam beans, carrots, and daikon. Chop bean sprouts and onions.

Step 2: Prepare The Filling

Mix minced meat with yam beans, carrots, daikon, onions, and scallions. Season the mixture with sugar, pepper, soup powder, and red pepper chili. Mix these ingredients together.

Add a chicken egg and mix again.

Step 3: Wrap The Spring Rolls

Arrange the filling mixture, shrimp, crab, and rice paper near each other to make this step easier.

Place a shrimp and some crab meat on the rice paper. Scoop a portion of the filling over them. Fold the right and left edges into the center.

Use a basting brush to brush water on the top and bottom edges. Then, fold these 2 sides like above. The water will help these edges stick together.

Wrap the entire spring roll with another rice paper in the same way, so it can keep its shape better when cooking.

Keep wrapping until you run out of the filling.

Step 4: Fry The Spring Rolls

Deep-frying In Oil

Fill your pan with oil and make sure the amount is enough to cover the spring roll.

Place the spring rolls in the pan when the oil is hot enough. Only fry a few at a time, or these crab spring rolls can stick together and tear apart.

Turn the spring rolls so they’re fried evenly. When cooked, transfer them to oil-absorbing cooking paper.

Using An Air-fryer

Preheat your air-fryer to 400°F (200°C).

Brush an oil layer on the baking tray. Place the crab spring rolls on the tray and brush another oil layer on their surface.

Fry these rolls at 400°F (200°C) for 15 minutes. Flip them halfway through the frying.

Step 5: Prepare The Pickles And Dipping Sauce

For The Pickles

Drain carrots, kohlrabis, and daikon of the sugar water. Rinse them with water.

Add vinegar and warm water to these pickles. Cover your hands with plastic gloves and mix them well.

For The Dipping Sauce

Mix fish sauce with hot water and sugar. Then, add garlic, minced chili pepper, and lime juice. Adjust the ingredient ratio to your liking.

Step 6: Present The Dish

Place the fried crab spring rolls on a plate. Serve them with vegetables, vermicelli rice noodles, pickles, and dipping sauce.

Dip the spring rolls into the dipping sauce and eat with all these side dishes. You can also pour some dipping sauce onto the rice noodles for more flavor.

Tips to Elevate Nem Cua Bể

I’ve prepared several tips to elevate Vietnamese crab spring rolls.

What To Serve With Nem Cua Bể

Aside from Vietnamese dipping sauce and pickled carrots and daikon, Vietnamese cuisine still has many dishes to go with Vietnamese crab spring rolls. Let’s see what they are:

Try Vietnamese Crab Spring Rolls At Your Next Party

With every bite, these crab spring rolls will take you to the bustling coastal city of Hai Phong, with its unique textures and flavors.

If you love the recipe, let’s whip up a batch now! Once you’ve tasted it, spread your love by sharing this article with your fellows. And remember to like this article and comment about your own experience.