Nem chua from Thanh Hoa Province - photo: MH

According to Taste Atlas, nem chua is a traditional Vietnamese dish of cured and fermented meat. Although it is traditionally made from pork, it can also be made with other types of meat such as beef. In order to prepare it properly, the lean pork is minced then combined with sliced pork skin, spices, chili peppers, and garlic.

The combination is wrapped into banana leaves, then stored for fermentation lasting three to five days in a cold place. These rolls have a sweet, salty, spicy and sour flavor, and are usually served as a snack or an appetizer with raw garlic on top and fish sauce or chili sauce on the side, the website wrote.

It also added that nem chua is especially popular during Lunar New Year celebrations. The dish can easily be found in the northcentral province of Thanh Hoa and the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap.