5 delicious family recipes to make you want to add Nuoc Mam sauce to everything for the rest of time.

Hello, my name is Sharon and I am an out and proud shortcut taker.    

I like shortcuts to the beach, shortcuts in my Excel spreadsheets – and I really love shortcuts when I’m cooking.

That’s why I’ve fallen head over heels for the new Roll’d range of readymade sauces and packs I discovered the other week – but more on that in a minute.

When it comes to feeding our family, my meal goals are simple. 

If I can make it quick, make it easy, make it nutritionally balanced and make it tasty enough to please everyone from a choosy four-year-old to my hatted-chef husband, then we're in business. 

That sounds easy enough, right? Um…

Enter shortcuts.

There’s no shame in my shortcut cooking game – and in fact, what I’ve come to realise is that if I am to have any chance of making food that’s fast, convenient yet flavoursome, having the right ingredients and particularly the right sauces on hand is the answer. 

Which brings me to my current obsession: Roll’d Nuoc Mam Sauce.

ICYMI, last month wildly popular Vietnamese food chain Roll’d took their products out of the takeaway space and into Coles, meaning you can now pop their range of authentic Vietnamese sauces, rice paper rolls and vermicelli noodles straight into your trolley. And you better believe I was all over that like... rice on paper rolls.

I'll work on my metaphors there.

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But Roll’d invited me to give the new range a whirl by whipping up five fast family recipes – and all featuring their signature Nuoc Mam sauce. 

The sauce itself is both sticky, sweet and sour, creating that unmistakable and authentic Vietnamese flavour. 

Knowing that each recipe only takes 15 minutes to make and all feature THE Roll'd signature sauce, my shortcut senses were tingling. I knew instantly that this could be my new fast track to flavour town. 

Maybe I should gun for best hatted chef of the house?

Let the cooking begin.

I started with the Pork Ball Lettuce Cups (I've popped the recipe below), because I knew it would make the perfect lunch for the littles in our family. 

If you’ve ever made meatballs or rissoles, the process of making pork balls is really similar, except the flavour stakes are upped tenfold thanks to the addition of fragrant herbs like lemongrass as well as the star attraction: Nuoc Mam sauce. 

A quick fry in the pan and these babies were done.

Image: Supplied.

Once you’ve assembled all your bowls of pork balls, lettuce cups, picked herbs, fried shallots and vermicelli noodles – this becomes both a meal and a kiddie activity. 

My boys loved digging their hands in and assembling their own DIY lettuce cups.

Image: Supplied.

While we're on the Roll’d Vietnamese Vermicelli Rice Noodles – I just followed the quick instructions on the back of the packet, promise they’re ready in minutes. 

(And might I add they’re extremely popular for picking up with little mitts).

Onto the next recipes! Salads are my go-to WFH lunch to up my daily veggie intake, but let’s face it, they can sometimes be a little bit boring. 

That is, until I tried the Vietnamese Grilled Beef Salad (recipe further down below).

Speed is of the essence when I’m making my workday lunch and this recipe fit the brief. 

The steak is cooked and rested in under 10 minutes, which is about the same time it takes to cut and combine all the greenery. But let me tell you, the magic happened once I poured that Roll’d Nuoc Mam Sauce over the salad as dressing – it made each vegetable so flippin’ tasty that I wanted to eat every last bite. 

(And not just because it’s good for me).

Image: Supplied.

In the same vein, the Salmon Salad (recipe further down below) is a great light and fresh lunch option. Simply season and cook your salmon, toss together with salad and then add the Nuoc Mam sauce as dressing for instant deliciousness.

Both of these salads are the ultimate workday lunches because they’re full of veggies, feature a great protein and are ultra-tasty. 

If you’re headed into the office, might I suggest pre-packing the salad, meat or salmon and dressing in separate containers before combining them all together at lunchtime. Hello, yum town.

Alright, moving onto family dinner recipes. 

You know the old saying: winner, winner chicken dinner? Well, now that I have small kids, that expression has taken on a whole new meaning because the thing about chicken dinners is they actually get eaten. 

In mum world, that's winning.

Accordingly, I had high hopes for the Roast Chicken Wings (recipe further down below) because they’re coated in a sticky sweet marinade, courtesy of the Roll’d Nuoc Mam sauce.

I love the minimal input for maximum output of this marinade-based recipe; just whack all your marinade ingredients in a bowl, toss the chicken wings through it and leave all that tasty goodness to soak before roasting in an oven pan. 

Fast forward 30 minutes and you’ve got finger-lickin’ good wings. Now that’s cooking shortcuts at its finest. 

Image: Supplied.

I served this one up for the whole fam with a little steamed rice and colourful salad. But I knew this one was a true winner when my youngest responded with my other favourite word: “More?” 

And if you love the simple brilliance of marinating, then the Grilled Pork Chops (recipe further down below) is also going to be up your alley. 

Again, the secret is combining a flavourful mix of herbs, Asian sauces and the Roll’d Nuoc Mam sauce to create a meat marinade that’s bursting with flavour. For pork chops, you also have the choice of either frying in a pan or roasting in the oven – and options are always a good thing when you have a hundred million other things to do.

So, I’ve taken loads of shortcuts with the new Roll’d range to make my family meal time more convenient, healthy and delicious. (Thanks in large part to the Roll’d Nuoc Mam sauce, my saviour). 

But I haven’t even got to the best shortcut of all. 

Now, I don’t have to wait until I’m contemplating ordering takeaway to sink my teeth into Vietnamese cuisine. I’ve discovered a whole new shortcut to takeaway night – any time I please.

Vietnamese Grilled Beef Salad

Serves: 4

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 2x200g steak (sirloin preferred)  
• 2 Lebanese cucumber, shaved with a peeler
• 1 bunch Viet mint, picked
• 1 bunch mint, picked
• 1 cup bean shoots
• 2 tablespoon fried shallots
• 1 cup Roll’d Nuoc Mam sauce
• 1 tablespoon veg oil 

Method

First, cook the steak. Place a large pan over high heat and pour the oil into the pan. Season the steak with salt and pepper and place into the pan. Cook 3 minutes on each side and leave to rest for 5 minutes

In a mixing bowl, place the remaining ingredients - except for the fried shallots. 

Slice the beef into thin strips and add to the bowl and toss the salad. 

Serve into 4 bowls and sprinkle with the fried shallots

Pork Ball Lettuce Cups

Serves: 4

Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 cup Roll’d Vietnamese vermicelli noodles, cooked
• 8 lettuce cups, cut from iceberg leaves 
• 8 sprigs coriander, picked
• 8 sprigs mint, picked
• 1 cup bean shoots
• 2 tablespoon fried shallots
• 1/2 cup Roll’d Nuoc Mam sauce

Pork Balls

• 500g pork mince
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon lemongrass, minced
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil

Method

First make the pork balls. Mix the ingredients in a medium bowl (excluding the vegetable oil), combining together vigorously so the meat binds together. Roll into golf sized balls. 

In a medium fry pan over medium-high heat, add the vegetable oil. Cook the pork balls until golden brown - around 7-10 minutes.

While the pork balls are cooking, start assembling the lettuce cups. Lay the lettuce leaves on a large platter and fill with vermicelli noodles, bean shoots and herbs.

When the pork balls are cooked, place them on top of the lettuce cups and sprinkle with the fried shallots. 

Serve with a bowl of Nuoc Mam for dipping or drizzling over lettuce cups.  

Grilled Pork Chops

Serves: 4

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 pork chops, around 140g each
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon white pepper, ground
• 1 lemongrass, minced white part only
• 1/4 cup Roll’d Nuoc Mam sauce
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon oyster sauce
• pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoon veg oil
• extra oil for frying if frying

Method

In a large bowl mix all the ingredients in the bowl, except the pork chops.

Place the pork chops in the marinade one at a time making sure the chops are well coated. Set aside to marinade for at least 1 hour

Heat a medium fry pan over medium-high heat add the veg oil and leave to heat 1-2mins. Add the pork chops one at a time. Do not over crowd the pan - this will make the temperature of the pan drop too quickly, 2 at a time is usually enough. Cook about 4-7mins on each side making sure they are golden brown and cooked.

If you don't want to pan fry you can also grill the chops, line a baking tray with foil and lay the pork chops on top and place under the grill in the oven. Grill each side for until golden brown and cooked 4-7mins.

Pork chops are best served with steam rice and more of the Roll’d Nuoc Mam as a sauce over the rice and pork chops. 

Salmon Salad

Serves: 4

Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

• 2 piece salmon, 200-250g per piece 
• sea salt
• 1 bag Coles salad mix, any variety you like
• Roll’d Nuoc Mam sauce
• 1 tablespoon veg oil
• 1/4 cup fried shallots
• 1 tablespoon white sesame seeds

Method

Place medium pan over high heat and add veg oil, leave for oil to heat. Season the Salmon with sea salt, place the skin side down on the fry pan and cook for 3-5 mins then flip over. Skin should be brown and crispy. Cook for further 7 mins, meat side down then remove onto a plate lined with paper.

In a bowl toss the salad with Roll’d Nuoc Mam and gently break the salmon into large pieces into the bowl. Toss with the salad. Serve into 4 bowls and sprinkle with fried shallots and sesame seeds.

Roast Chicken Wings

Serves: 4

Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients

• 1kg Chicken wings
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 coriander roots, minced
• 2 tablespoon oyster sauce
• 3/4 cup Roll’d Nuoc Mam sauce
• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon veg oil
• pinch salt

Method

In a large bowl mix all the ingredients in the bowl.

Place the chicken wings in the marinade and mix in the marinade, making sure all wings are coated. Best if left for 1 hour to marinade.

Turn the oven on to 180c

Line a tray with baking paper and place the chicken wings on the tray, pour the remaining marinade on the wings. Bake in the oven for 20-30 mins until brown and wings are cooked.

Wings are great served with steamed rice or a simple mixed leaf salad dressed with a dipping side of Roll’d Nuoc Mam. 

Find new Roll'd products, including Mamamia favourite Roll'd Nuoc Mam sauce, at your local Coles supermarket or a Roll'd store near you.

Feature Image: Supplied