Canh Rau Cuu Ky (Vietnamese (Chinese) Boxthorn Soup)

Since I'm hosting Weekend Herb Blogging this week, I thought it would be the perfect opportunity to ask my fellow "herb" bloggers if they know of a common English name for the Vietnamese herb cuu ky? At the Asian grocery store, it's just labeled as cuu ky herb leaf, so no luck there.

Cuu ky is an herb that my ba noi (Vietnamese paternal grandmother) would often cook during the summers because it was "cooling." I've posted before about the concept of hot and cold, or yin and yang foods in Chinese food therapy. Without a common English name, or scientific classification though, I can't offer up much info. I just know it's supposed to be good for me. I've never eaten it raw, only in a light broth-based soup.



The plant looks like the picture below. The stems can get wooden if it's too old. There's also a few thorns, so be careful. Pluck the leaves only to make the soup. My second-youngest aunt was in town recently during a heat wave and made a "cooling" healthy soup with cuu ky and rau ma (Vietnamese pennywort).



This soup is not intended to be a meal. Think of it more along the lines of miso soup, sort of a palate cleanser for the main course. Cuu ky tastes slightly bitter, so of course it has to be good for you, otherwise why would anyone eat it? You can eat this soup alone, or spooned over rice.

Canh Rau Cuu Ky (Vietnamese (Chinese) Boxthorn Soup)

You'll need:
Canh (Vietnamese soup broth), I suggest making a pork broth with a few dried dates to counteract the bitterness of cuu ky
As many cuu ky leaves as you'd like, about 2 or 3 stems is sufficient

Make the Canh (Vietnamese soup broth).

Pluck leaves off the cuu ky stems and wash thoroughly.

When the broth starts boiling, add the cuu ky leaves. They'll cook almost immediately.

Serve plain or with rice.



Enjoy!

June 1, 2008 update: That was quick! Thanks to Robyn (of Eating Asia I'm assuming?), the common English name for these leaves are Chinese boxthorn. There are hundreds of varieties and I got a bit confused because the leaves of the African boxthorn look quite different. Plus, this low shrub-like plant has no berries that I know of. But the ASEAN Postharvest Horticulture Network has a picture that looks exactly like my plant. In Chinese, it's called kau kei/guo qi and though the Vietnamese spelling is off, kau ky is the same phonetics.

According to Wikipedia, the boxthorn was known to European herbalists and used in traditional Chinese medicine for several thousand years. Some species bear wolfberries, which are sometimes called a "superfruit" because of its health and commercial value.

My other Vietnamese canh recipes:
Canh Bap Cai Bac Thao (Vietnamese Napa Cabbage Soup)
Canh Bap Cai Nhoi Thit (Vietnamese Stuffed Cabbage Soup)
Canh Bi Voi Tom (Winter Melon Soup with Shrimp)
Canh Bi/Bau Nhoi Thit (Vietnamese Pork-Stuffed Winter Melon Soup)
Canh Chua Ca (Vietnamese Sour Fish Soup)
Canh Chua Tom (Vietnamese Sour Shrimp Soup)
Canh Cu Sen (Vietnamese Lotus Root Soup)
Canh Du Du (Vietnamese Papaya Soup)
Canh O/Kho Qua Nhoi Thit (Vietnamese Stuffed Bitter Melon Soup)
Canh Tao/Rong Bien (Vietnamese Seaweed Soup)

I'm submitting this recipe to Weekend Herb Blogging, a world-wide food blogging event created by Kalyn's Kitchen celebrating herbs, vegetables, or flowers.

If you'd like to participate, see who's hosting next week. WHB is hosted this week by me. :)


*****
1 year ago today, goi xoai xanh (Vietnamese green mango salad).

Friendship Sealed with a Case of Mangoes

Yesterday when half of the White on Rice Couple was in L.A., I suggested we meet up. I've drooled over their gorgeous pictures for months, chuckled over their senses of humor, and watched in awe at their amazing videos. It was just a last minute thing, because she was already downtown and yet, Diane showed up at my door with an entire case of mangoes. Man, if I didn't already love her, the mangoes would have sealed the deal. Hey, my friendship can be bought, but it doesn't come cheap! Mangoes are nearly twice as expensive as they were last year. :( The day before, I was at the grocery store and bought one mango. I couldn't justify buying a whole case even though I love mangoes so. And yet, she gave me a whole case. She said to share with my family, but ummm...if they don't know I have them, it's not selfish right? Right? In the close-up, don't the mangoes look like dinosaur eggs? Anyway, so I've made Egg Rolls Stuffed with Bananas and Mangoes with Nutella Dipping Sauce, Goi Xoai Xanh (Vietnamese Green Mango Salad), Mango Bread, Mango Salsa, and Mangoes with Sticky Rice - Vietnamese-Style. Then last year when I asked ya'll what should I do with this case of mangoes, someone suggested mango chicken. Well, I did make mango chicken way back in September. But it just wasn't colorful enough so I haven't posted my recipe yet. What do you think? Do ya'll want the recipe anyway? Or should I make another batch and add some colorful bell peppers or something and then post a recipe? In all honesty, I don't know why I ask because I can happily devour the whole case as is. Well, not in one sitting mind you, but I don't need to cook mangoes to enjoy them. I like them even when they're the world's smallest mangoes and take more work to peel than to eat. Hmm. Maybe mango sorbet or mango shortbread squares? Anyway, so we went on a little eating frenzy last night. She decided to try Bollini's Pizzeria Napolitana - Monterey Park, where we ordered a large half Salsiccia 3 and half Fungi E Tartufi and the crab-stuffed mushroom appetizer. She literally scraped the plate clean. With a fork though. She's mannerly like that. ;) She even saved one lone mushroom for her better half. We saved him three slices of pizza too. Then we moved on to 85 Degrees C Tea House - San Gabriel where we shared a mung bean shaved snowflake and a pot of semen tea. Then, oh, yeah, we're not done yet, we went to J & J (Jin Jian) Restaurant - San Gabriel where we had an order of pork and an order of pork/crab xiao long bao (Shanghai soup dumplings) and Shanghai sticky rice cakes. Don't worry, most of that went home with her other half as well. Before the eating extravaganza though, she got a tour of my uncles' gardens. So here's a happy reminder of my second-youngest uncle's baby pomelos. Can you spot all three? Thanks again White on Rice Couple! You're the best! ***** 1 year ago today, a very, very basic cucumber salad that lil' sis and I happily munch on all summer long.

Sup Mang Tay Cua (Vietnamese Asparagus and Crab Soup)

So now that I've taught you how to make Canh (Vietnamese Soup Broth), it's time I finally shared my very favorite Vietnamese soup -- sup mang tay cua (Vietnamese asparagus and crab soup).


This recipe is in no way as remotely as good as my mom's, but it'll do in a jiffy. Make a big pot. I can (And have!) happily eat three big bowls of this and call it a meal.  

How to Make Broth for Canh (Vietnamese Soups)

Unlike Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup), which requires hours upon hours of simmering, canh (Vietnamese soup) is usually a quick, light broth-based soup. My "stock" is simmered for about half an hour, usually made just for each particular pot of soup. You can do this with beef, pork, or chicken. Most Asian grocery stores will sell beef or pork chin bones with meat specifically for this purpose. You can also use pork, without bones, and get both a broth and boiled pork for Goi Cuon (Vietnamese Salad Rolls).

Here's how I make my canh to be flavorful yet light and clear like what you see below.




How to Make Broth for Canh (Vietnamese Soups)

You'll need:
About 1 lb of meat and/or bones for a 2-quart pot of water
1 tsp salt, or more according to taste

Optional: For flavoring, dried dates, scallops, shrimp, squid, and/or fish sauce.

Wash and clean your meat. Place meat in a pot of water, fill pot to about 80 percent full. Add about 1 tsp of salt. Turn heat to high and let water come to a full boil. Then turn the heat down to medium-low and let simmer for about half an hour. The low temperature simmer keeps the broth clear.

Conversely, if you want a milky broth, then keep the heat on medium-high at a light roiling boil to extract maximum flavor from the bones.

You'll start seeing foam and other impurities on the surface of the water like what you see below. If you're using meat with bones, there will be more gunk.




Spoon off the foam into a separate bowl and toss. You can use a normal spoon if that's all you have, but I prefer this skimmer spoon. Notice the very fine mesh? It's excellent for getting every last bit of foamy gunk. I bought my spoon at the San Gabriel Superstore for about $3. Worth every penny.




After skimming the foam, you'll end up with a nice clear broth like what you see below. Remove the meat if you wish. Since I'm slicing the pork for goi cuon, I do. But if you're using meat with bones, you may also leave the meat in the pot if you like to gnaw on the bones.




Now it's time to flavor the broth. Depending on what type of soup you're making, you may add any or none of the following variations. Many times, the other ingredients you add to the soup will give plenty of flavor on their own. But there's a handful of single-ingredient canh in which the broth is just as important as the one ingredient.

Can you guess what I added?




Dried dates will add just a touch of natural sweetness without having to resort to sugar.




Or for natural umami savoriness, you can add dried squid, shrimp, or scallops. These ingredients should be added to the soup pot when you add your meat so the flavors get released while it's simmering. Even though they're already dried, I store mine in the freezer and they last forever that way.




And let's not forget the most essential umami seasoning ingredient of all - nuoc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce). Start with 1 tsp at a time, stir into the broth, taste and adjust if necessary.




What are your tricks for achieving a light and flavorful broth?

Enjoy!

My canh recipes:
Canh Bap Cai Bac Thao (Vietnamese Napa Cabbage Soup)
Canh Bi Voi Tom (Winter Melon Soup with Shrimp)
Canh Bi/Bau Nhoi Thit (Vietnamese Pork-Stuffed Winter Melon Soup)
Canh Chua Ca (Vietnamese Sour Fish Soup)
Canh Chua Tom (Vietnamese Sour Shrimp Soup)
Canh Cu Sen (Vietnamese Lotus Root Soup)
Sup Mang Tay Cua (Vietnamese Asparagus and Crab Soup)


*****
1 year ago today, Ga Nuong Xa (Vietnamese Grilled Chicken with Lemongrass).

Nuoc Mam (Vietnamese Fish Sauce)

If you're fortunate, you may be faced with an aisle like this in which to choose your fish and soy sauces. Fish sauces on the left, soy sauces on the right. With such varied selection, how do you know which one to pick and what it will taste like?


Fish sauce is a part of many Southeast Asian cuisines including Vietnamese nuoc mam, Filipino patis, Korean aek jeot, and Thai nam pla. There's also non-liquid versions of fish and shrimp pastes such as Vietnamese mam ruoc, Cambodian prahok, Filipino bagoong, and Malaysian belacan. But for the purposes of this post, I'm only going to discuss the liquid version of fish sauce in general, and Vietnamese fish sauce in particular.

Weekend Wokking and Rules

One of the things I've noticed with food blogging is how recipes seem to synchronize. Part of the reason is because many of us are trying to cook with seasonal ingredients. The other part is because once we see a certain item on someone else's blog, we might be persuaded to try it ourselves. So why not challenge each other and compile those recipes at the same time? So I've decided to create a food blogging event called "Weekend Wokking." I was thinking along the lines of the spirit of Iron Chef, but as I'm sure the title is copyrighted, I had to invent a new name along with a logo. I really liked the picture of one of my woks which featured its lid, bamboo cleaning whisk, and frying spoon. So perhaps Carbon Steel Wok? Nah, not catchy enough. Wok. Wok. Wok. Hmm. Weekend Wokking? No matter what else I attempted, the WW sounds stayed in my head. So Weekend Wokking it is. Of course, use of a wok is not required for the recipes. Also, unlike Iron Chef, I don't want a food fight to determine a winner. I just want to see how many different variations we can make of one ingredient. Wouldn't it be great to see a variety of cuisines and to see how each of us handles that one ingredient? Taking cues from Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen, who created Weekend Herb Blogging, let's get everyone "Weekend Wokking." I'll be the first host, but I'd like "Weekend Wokking" to rotate so if you're interested in hosting send me an email at wanderingchopsticks (at) gmail (dot) com. For now, let's make it a monthly event, with the round-up on the first Wednesday of each month. Weekend Wokking on Wednesdays. :) Here are the rules:

1. Entries for Weekend Wokking must be written specifically for the event, and the posts cannot be submitted to other food blog events. Exceptions include entries that are also submitted in photo contests. 2. Entries are encouraged to be original recipes created by the submitter, but if you made someone else's recipe, please include a link to that person's recipe. You are allowed to revisit your recipes, provided that the photos and post are new and created specifically for the event. 3. Submissions must include the words Weekend Wokking and a link back to this post. If the round-up is hosted by someone else, submissions must include a link to this post and a link to that round-up's host. For example: I'm submitting this recipe to Weekend Wokking, a world-wide food blogging event created by Wandering Chopsticks to celebrate the multiple ways we can cook one ingredient. The host this month is Wandering Chopsticks. If you would like to participate or to see the secret ingredient, check who's hosting next month. Or if you'd like a slightly larger logo. I'm submitting this recipe to Weekend Wokking, a world-wide food blogging event created by Wandering Chopsticks to celebrate the multiple ways we can cook one ingredient. The host this month is Wandering Chopsticks. If you would like to participate or to see the secret ingredient, check who's hosting next month. Or at the very least, the entry should say: This recipe is for Weekend Wokking hosted by Wandering Chopsticks. Use of the logo is encouraged but not required. 4. The compilation of Weekend Wokking will be posted on the first Wednesday of each month at a time that is most convenient for the host. The inaugural round-up will take place on Wednesday, June 4. Entries must be submitted to the host by the end of the weekend ie. Sunday at 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time, prior to the first Wednesday of each month. You can use the Time Zone Check to see what time the deadline is in your part of the world. Late entries may be accepted at the discretion of the host. Please put Weekend Wokking in the subject line of the email to make it easy for the host to identify entries. Also, include: Your name or what name you would prefer to be called: The name of your blog: What part of the world you want identified as your residence: The title of the recipe: A permalink URL to the recipe: One recipe per entry, one entry per person please. 5. The current host gets to pick the secret ingredient for the next round. Hosts will announce the next secret ingredient at the end of the current round-up. If the next host is unable to obtain the secret ingredient when it is their turn, they may opt out of posting a recipe of their own, but, of course, will still host the round-up. Choose only one "secret ingredient." There are no restrictions on ingredients, but I'd like to express some reminders. Please keep in mind that some ingredients may not be available to everyone. I think it'd be nice to be seasonal with ingredients but you don't have to. And lastly, please be aware of others' budgets. Recipes may be anything you wish, as long as there is some form of the secret ingredient in it.

And lastly, it's not a rule, but please remember to thank the host(ess). Round-ups take quite a bit of work and its nice to show them some appreciation. With all that said, the first "secret" ingredient will be ASPARAGUS! Let's see how many recipes we can make with asparagus shall we? Please email wanderingchopsticks (at) gmail (dot) com. Submit entries by 11:59 PM, Sunday, June 1 for inclusion in the Wednesday, June 4 round-up. I know it's short notice but I only just came up with the idea! And I was so excited I had to implement it straight away! Rules for Weekend Wokking Weekend Wokking Round-Up Who's Hosting Weekend Wokking? Weekend Wokking Host Duties We Wok! ***** 1 year ago today, a smiley face on my bimbimbap (Korean mixed rice).

Salsa Verde with Roasted Tomatillos

Ah, thought I was done with the quick and easy roasted recipes didn't you? Just one more. I made a nice salsa verde with roasted tomatillos for my brother's Memorial Day party. Tomatillos are in the same family, but a different genus, from the tomato. They look, but do not taste, like green tomatoes. Salsa Verde with Roasted Tomatillos You'll need: About 2 lbs tomatillos, 1 lb will reduce to less than 1 cup after cooking 2 jalapenos, or more if you want spicier 1 small bunch cilantro 1 small bunch green onions 1 lime, juiced Salt, to taste Look at all the lovely green to truly make this truly verde. Tomatillos in their papery husks, cilantro, jalapenos, and green onions. The green onions are from my garden. Tomatillos are surrounded by a papery husk. Look for the freshest and greenest husks as possible. Split open the husks a little to pick firm, smooth tomatillos. Peel off all the husks and discard. Tomatillos got their name because people thought they were baby green tomatoes. Wash and halve tomatoes. Remove the stems. De-seed and halve the jalapenos. Lightly oil a pan and lay tomatillos and jalapenos, skin side up. Lightly spray oil and sprinkle a light layer of salt on top. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for about half an hour until tomatillos are slightly golden. Meanwhile, wash and roughly chop the bunches of cilantro and green onions. When the tomatillos are done, they'll release a lot of liquid so scoop them out with a slotted spoon into a food processor. Add in the jalapenos, chopped cilantro, and chopped green onions. Puree until desired consistency. I like mine roughly smooth. Add juice of one lime. Taste and add salt if necessary. Serve with tortilla chips, or top Carne Asada (Mexican Grilled Meat) or Tacos al Pastor (Mexican Shepherd-Style Tacos). Enjoy! Other salsa recipes: Guacamole Mango Salsa Salsa Fresca I brought the salsa verde to my brother's Memorial Day party. Where it joined the rest of the goodies. There's the oldest '87 making mojitos with fresh apple mint. That was a pretty fine mojito. The oldest '88 made salmon ceviche. Iced tea and sangria. Bacon-wrapped hot dogs. I made some Mo Hanh (Vietnamese Scallion Oil) to slather on the corn. And the middle '87 made a smooth and creamy cheesecake. So good that when I inquired about leftovers the next day, cousin Q told me my youngest uncle had eaten half a cheesecake. Gone! ***** 1 year ago today, bulgogi and kalbi (Korean barbecued beef and short ribs).

Tacos al Pastor (Mexican Shepherd-Style Tacos)

Another recipe that's been sitting in my queue for nearly a year. Except, it had been so long and I don't write down measurements that I completely forgot what proportions and ingredients I used. So of course, I had to make it again and write it down this time. According to Wikipedia, tacos al pastor (Mexican shepherd-style tacos) was created in Puebla, Mexico, likely influenced by Lebanese immigrants who roasted meat for shawarmas on spit-grills. A slice of pineapple was placed on top of the meats so the juices could drip down while it roasted. The meat is then sliced off like doner kebabs. While some recipes for the marinade included several varieties of chili peppers, soaked, and then strained, I preferred using canned chipotle for ease. The marinade also included orange juice for sweetness. You can make achiote oil for color but I found using red wine vinegar and the chipotle sauce was just fine. I obviously don't have a spit-grill so I roasted the meat in the oven with slices of pineapple on top. Then either slice or shred the meat and serve with tortillas, Salsa Fresca, and cilantro. A close-up. The second time around, I used flour tortillas and added some shredded cheese. Tacos al Pastor (Mexican Shepherd-Style Tacos) You'll need: 1/2 lb pork butt or shoulder, cut into 2-inch wide strips for faster cooking 4 oz or half a can of chipotle peppers including sauce, mash peppers Juice of 1 orange Juice of small lime, or 1 tblsp red wine vinegar 1 tsp salt 3 cloves garlic, minced 1/2 onion, diced (Save other half for topping tacos.) 1/2 tsp oregano 1/2 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp cumin Pineapple for placing over pork while roasting For topping tacos: 1/2 onion, diced cilantro, chopped cheese Salsa Fresca Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wash pork and slice into 2-inch strips for faster cooking. Set aside. In a separate bowl, mix 4 oz or half a can of chipotle peppers including sauce, mash the peppers, juice of 1 orange, juice of small lime, or 1 tblsp red wine vinegar if you don't have it on hand, 1 tsp salt, 3 cloves minced garlic, 1/2 diced onion (Save the other half of the onion for topping tacos.), 1/2 tsp oregano, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp cumin, and pineapple for placing over pork while roasting. For the pineapple, I simply save the trimmings from cutting out the eyes so nothing is wasted. Taste the marinade and adjust seasonings if necessary. Slather the marinade all over the pork. Top with pineapple trimmings. Bake in the oven for 45 minutes. Let cool and shred or slice the meat. Serve with tortillas and diced onions, salsa fresca, cilantro, or shredded cheese. Enjoy! My other Mexican recipes: Carne Asada (Mexican Grilled Meat) Guacamole Jamaica (Hibiscus Tea) Mango Salsa Nachos, Texas-Style Salsa Fresca Squash Blossom Quesadilla Sweet Corn Tomalito ***** 1 year ago today, the first appearance of geraniums in flowerpots.

Salsa Fresca

Another quick and easy recipe but an important part of tomorrow's recipe for Tacos al Pastor (Mexican Shepherd-Style Tacos). Not that you need another recipe to go with salsa. As it's simply perfect with just tortilla chips.

Roasted Tri-Colored Carrots

I saw these gorgeous carrots at the Farmers' Market in Claremont and couldn't resist.

Look at how pretty they are on the inside.

Bacon-Wrapped Asparagus

Ever made a whole meal out of just an appetizer? I bought 10 fat stalks of asparagus for 56 cents at the grocery store. They were really too fat to stir-fry or to put into a soup, but they were perfect for roasting. If you don't have fat asparagus spears, you can bundle two or three smaller ones together.  

Ca Bong Lau Nuong voi Mo Hanh (Vietnamese Roasted Catfish with Scallion Oil)

I know, I know, I tease you with a roasted catfish picture and then I veer off into discussions about chicken! What can I say, I'm not a sequential thinker. :P But mmm, let's see that catfish again yeah?


My dad had just caught the catfish the day before in Oregon before he came down to SoCal. I was all hopeful when he told lil' sis, "Ma lam ca bong lau cho con (Mom made catfish for you)." Lam could mean anything from to work, to cook, to do, to make. Unfortunately, in this case, it only meant my mom had cleaned it. :(

Darn it! I wanted some homecooking. I actually had never roasted a catfish before so I decided to use the marinade from Ca Kho To (Vietnamese Braised Fish in a Claypot), figuring that if it doesn't char properly, at least the marinade will make it taste good. And boy, did it!

I also had some scallions in the fridge that needed to be used up so I decided to make mo hanh (Vietnamese scallion oil) to pour sizzling over the top. The recipe turned out better than expected. So much so that the fish was eaten in minutes.

As my brother picked a section for his wife, he told her our mom made it. No, she didn't. I did! Mommy only cleaned it. Huh! (Actually, he said the same thing a few years back when I made Cua Rang Muoi Tieu Me Toi Gung (Vietnamese Crab Stir-Fried with Salt, Pepper, Tamarind, Garlic, and Ginger). He started talking about how mom makes a sauce from the crab butter. Nuh uh! Mommy only sent down the Dungeness crabs. I made the sauce. Huh!) Anyway, since the first batch went so well, I made it again a few weeks later when my dad came down again and brought me two catfish.

Mo Hanh (Vietnamese Scallion Oil)

Mo hanh (Vietnamese scallion oil) is a quick and easy topping to enhance plain rice or noodle dishes such as the banh hoi (Vietnamese steamed rice vermicelli sheets) that are often served with Chao Tom (Vietnamese Grilled Shrimp Paste Wrapped Around Sugarcane). You can also use to top plain sticky rice, banh beo (Vietnamese steamed rice discs topped with dried shrimp), Ca Bong Lau Nuong (Vietnamese Roasted Catfish), or brush over grilled corn. This recipe is so quick and easy, it really doesn't need photo illustrations. But here you go anyway.

 

Ca Kho To (Vietnamese Braised Fish in a Claypot)

Updated from the archives January 13, 2010:
I had never been particularly pleased with my original post for Ca Kho To (Vietnamese Braised Fish in a Claypot). Partly because I didn't have a claypot in the original photo and partly because I had made it with tuna instead of catfish, my preferred fish for this dish. I wasn't enamored with my original entry for this dish either, but posted it anyway.

The only adjustments I've made to the recipe, actually for most of my braised dishes, is to substitute Indonesian kecap manis for the Nuoc Mau (Vietnamese Caramel Sauce). I always have a bottle of kecap manis on hand, it's dark and it's sweet - all qualities of nuoc mau but waaay easier.

Peony

I finally dug up my peonies from my old house and brought them to my new house. They're just in pots for now. Peonies don't like to be moved so I was afraid they might not make it. One withered. One budded but the bud dried up, although its leaves are still green. And the third had one magnificent bloom.

This was the peony on April 27th.

On May 5th.

On May 8th.

On May 10th.

And on May 15th. :(

I'm such a bad blog buddy. I missed Mochachocolata-Rita's Chinese take-out party to celebrate her 88th post. :( Instead of food, how about I virtually bring this peony? Since peonies are traditionally one of the national floral symbols of China, it's still in keeping with the theme of the party. With so much food already, wouldn't you rather have flowers? :)


*****
1 year ago today, roll your own nem nuong cuon (Vietnamese grilled pork patty rice paper rolls) at Nem Nuong Ninh Hoa Vietnamese Restaurant - Rosemead.