300-year-old rice paper craft village in Do Luong 'exports' to many countries

(Baonghean.vn) - Over the past 300 years, the people of Vinh Duc rice paper village - Do Luong town have always maintained and developed the rice paper making profession to become more and more vibrant.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Xuan's family in Vinh Duc craft village can make up to 1,500 rice paper sheets a day. Photo: Le Ngoc Phuong

In the past, Vinh Duc villagers used to make the cake with rice flour mixed with black sesame. Now, to increase the delicious flavor, people add ginger, pepper, crushed garlic, mixed with the rice flour to make the cake.

The products of the famous craft village are delicious, so not only domestic consumers but also overseas Vietnamese in countries such as Germany, Cambodia, Laos, Singapore, Korea, Russia, etc. like them, so they sell very well.

After being coated, the cakes are placed on a tray to dry. If the weather is sunny, they only need to dry for 5 hours. Photo: Le Ngoc Phuong

On average, each family grinds 10 kg of rice a day. 1 kg of rice can make about 30 rice paper cakes. Each cake sells for an average of 2,000 VND, earning 60,000 VND.

After deducting expenses, rice, firewood, spices... for each kg of rice, the worker still has a net profit of 10,000 VND. There are families that process 100 kg of rice each day, earning nearly 1 million VND/day.

Rice paper is grilled on a hot charcoal grill. Photo: Le Ngoc Phuong

To have delicious rice paper products, Vinh Duc villagers often use rice with less stickiness, the rice commonly used is Khang Dan 18 to make rice paper.

The finished rice paper can be grilled and sold, or dried.

Vinh Duc village rice paper is also popular because of the thick layer of black sesame. Photo: Le Ngoc Phuong

Vinh Duc craft village currently has 70 households practicing the craft, and people make rice paper all year round. But the most favorable days are sunny days.

If it rains, some households still make cakes, but they have to smoke them with charcoal, the quality of the cakes is not as good as drying them in the sun.

After being baked, the rice paper is put into a plastic bag and tied tightly to keep it crispy. Photo: Le Ngoc Phuong

In Vinh Duc village, thanks to the rice paper making profession, families have been able to raise successful children, many households are well off from the profession.

Tet is approaching, Vinh Duc rice paper village is bustling again. Then, the irresistible delicious flavor of rice paper spreads far and wide. Especially those who are far from home, when holding sesame rice paper in their hands, cannot help but feel moved and nostalgic for the beloved land of Do Luong.

Hundreds of people who go to work or export labor abroad have brought rice paper to enjoy or exchange, buy and sell....

Le Ngoc Phuong