{"id":109767,"title":"M\u1ebb: Vietnamese Fermented Rice","modified":"2025-10-29T15:47:03+01:00","plain":"Fermentation has long been used to preserve and enrich foods nutritionally, especially rice across Asia. In Asian cooking, fermenting rice has given rise to many delicious dishes.\n\n\n\nFor example: koji in Japanese cuisine; jiuniang or c\u01a1m r\u01b0\u1ee3u in Chinese cuisine and Vietnamese cuisine; tapai in Indonesian cuisine; and even rice vinegar. In Vietnam, there is also a lesser-known but very tasty fermented rice preparation: m\u1ebb.\n\n\n\nThis condiment\u2014and the recipe (if you dare!)\u2014is so little known that there\u2019s virtually no information about it in French. I found a short thread on an English-language forum, and that was it\u2026 Thanks to a new member of our team, Loan, who is Vietnamese, I learned it existed.\n\n\n\nWhat is m\u1ebb ?\n\n\n\nM\u1ebb, c\u01a1m m\u1ebb, or m\u1ebb chua are names for a type of sour fermented rice in Vietnam. It\u2019s a traditional condiment that\u2019s very popular in northern Vietnam, where it originated, and in parts of the central and southern regions.\n\n\n\nM\u1ebb is made via lactic fermentation of non-glutinous rice, which distinguishes it from other fermented rice preparations such as koji and jiuniang, products of alcoholic fermentation of glutinous rice.\n\n\n\nDuring fermentation, yeasts, nematodes known as Panagrellus redivivus (con m\u1ebb in Vietnamese), and lactic acid bacteria convert the rice\u2019s sugars into lactic acid, producing m\u1ebb\u2019s distinctive tangy aroma and flavor. For a reference point, it\u2019s somewhat reminiscent of nem chua\n\n\n\nVietnamese nem chua\n\n\n\nHow to spot good-quality m\u1ebb\n\n\n\nIn Vietnam, it\u2019s identified by tiny nematodes (very, very small white worms, yet visible to the naked eye) swarming on the surface. Bon app\u00e9tit.\n\n\n\nUsing m\u1ebb in cooking\n\n\n\nM\u1ebb seasons many Vietnamese dishes thanks to its distinctive sour flavor.\n\n\n\nFor soups such as crab, fish, or snail vermicelli soup (b\u00fan ri\u00eau), mix a few tablespoons of m\u1ebb with a small bowl of cold water, then strain to obtain m\u1ebb juice; add it to the soup.\n\n\n\nYou can also marinate certain meats and fish with m\u1ebb to tame any strong odors. That\u2019s the case with grilled fish (ch\u1ea3 c\u00e1), a must-try Hanoi specialty.\n\n\n\nVietnamese cooks also mix m\u1ebb with fish sauce and other seasonings to make nuoc cham for serving with Vietnamese spring rolls, for example.\n\n\n\nBoiled snails served with a sauce made from the fermented rice m\u1ebb\n\n\n\nHow to store m\u1ebb?\n\n\n\nTo store m\u1ebb for an extended period, follow these three rules:\n\n\n\n\nUse ingredients free of contamination; sterilize everything properly.\n\n\n\nAll utensils used to make, store, and handle m\u1ebb must be clean. Sterilize and dry them before use.\n\n\n\nFeed the nematodes regularly: add a small bowl of rice to the jar once a week.\n\n\n\n\nIf stored properly, m\u1ebb keeps for a few months. If you detect the slightest sign of spoilage, such as mold, discard it immediately.\n\n\n\nWhere can you buy m\u1ebb?\n\n\n\nM\u1ebb is hard to find outside Vietnam. However, in Europe, it\u2019s sold in some grocery stores and shops specializing in Vietnamese products. The best-known brands are Ng\u1ecdc Li\u00ean and H\u01b0\u01a1ng Sen.\n\n\n\nSubstitutes for m\u1ebb\n\n\n\nIf you can\u2019t find m\u1ebb or don\u2019t want to make it, use lemon, rice vinegar, tamarind, or plain yogurt to mimic the sourness. You won\u2019t, however, capture its uniquely complex flavor.\n\n\n\nHealth benefits of m\u1ebb\n\n\n\nLike yogurt, m\u1ebb is rich in lactic acid, vitamins, and protein that support digestive health. It can promote digestion, ease bloating, and stimulate the appetite.\n\n\n\nIt may also help combat harmful bacteria such as E. coli and Salmonella, helping protect the digestive tract.\n\n\n\nHow to make m\u1ebb?\n\n\n\nThere are several ways to make m\u1ebb. Here are two of the simplest. Exact quantities are still a work in progress; future testing will help refine them:\n\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\n\n\tAuthentic M\u1ebb (Vietnamese Fermented Rice)\n\t\t\n\t\t\t\n\t\n\t\tcuiseur \u00e0 riz\t\n\t\n\t\tTraditional Methodnon-glutinous ricewater for cooking the ricewater for rinsing the riceclean glass jarQuick Method1 bowl of overcooked non-glutinous rice3 tablespoons lukewarm water2.5 teaspoons unsweetened yogurt, at room temperatureclean glass jar\t\n\t\n\t\tTraditional MethodRinse the rice before cooking.Cook the rice in a rice cooker with plenty of water until very soft and fully saturated.Boil the rice-rinsing water for about 10 minutes.Pour the boiled water into the glass jar.Let the rice and boiled water cool to room temperature.Add the rice to the jar, ensuring it is completely submerged.Close the jar (do not overtighten).Place the jar in a dry spot, away from light; it doesn't need to be cool.Wait 7 to 10 days for the m\u1ebb to be ready.Quick MethodPour the lukewarm water over the overcooked rice.Mix the rice with the yogurt.Transfer the mixture to a clean glass jar.Seal the jar tightly.Place the jar in a bowl of 80\u00b0C water and leave it there.Let ferment for 2 to 3 days, until the m\u1ebb is ready. If you use an oven to maintain 80\u00b0C continuously, it will be ready in 9 hours.\t\n\t\n\t\tM\u1ebb should be opaque white.\nIt should taste pleasantly sour with a soft texture.\nIf the m\u1ebb is watery or smells alcoholic, the batch has failed.\n\t\n\t\n\t\tVietnamienneriz ferment\u00e9","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109767","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=109767"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109767\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":110063,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/109767\/revisions\/110063"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8719"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=109767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=109767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/marcwiner.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=109767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}