(Baonghean.vn) - For nearly ten years, people in Thanh Tuong commune (Thanh Chuong - Nghe An) have been making cassava rice paper; although the work is hard, it brings in a good income for many households here.
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At first, only a few families in Hamlet 1, Thanh Tuong Commune made cassava rice paper. Now, the whole hamlet has more than 30 families following the profession. The raw material for making the cake is fresh cassava tubers imported by people in Thanh Thinh and Thanh Huong communes, resettlement areas, at a price of 3,000 VND/kg. The cassava tubers are peeled and soaked in water before making the cake. Photo: Huy Thu |
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In the past, when there were no grinding machines, grinding cassava by hand took a lot of effort. Now with the grinding machine, 5-6 tons of cassava roots can be ground in just 20-30 minutes, both fast and smooth. Photo: Huy Thu |
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After grinding, adding a little salt, the tapioca flour is used to make cakes immediately. Experience of the villagers shows that the fresher the flour, the brighter and sweeter the cake. Photo: Huy Thu |
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People who make cassava rice paper pay close attention to the weather and choose sunny days to make it. On the days they make the rice paper, they wake up at 1-2am and finish working until 7-8am. Ms. Luu Thi Hoa (43 years old), a long-time rice paper maker in the village, said that 1kg of cassava can make 5 rice paper, and her family makes 60-80kg of fresh cassava every day. Photo: Huy Thu |
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Making cassava rice paper is not done on a cloth mold like making rice paper, but using a bottle to spread the dough in 2 plastic sheets. Thanks to the skillful hands of the maker, the dough is spread thinly and evenly round. Photo: Huy Thu |
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After being washed, the cassava rice paper is put into a pot with a bamboo grid to steam. Photo: Huy Thu |
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Villagers carry cakes to dry. Photo: Huy Thu |
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Coming to Hamlet 1, Thanh Tuong Commune on sunny days, all the village roads, alleys, fences, roofs... are full of cassava rice paper sheets. Photo: Huy Thu |
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Cassava rice paper takes longer to dry than rice rice paper. A few hours after drying, the rice paper will be turned upside down to dry evenly. Photo: Huy Thu |
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In the village, Mr. Nguyen Gia Luong and his wife (78 years old) are still actively involved in making cakes. Every morning, they can make several kilos of fresh cassava. Notably, Mr. Luong is the one who produces cassava grinding machines for the whole village. Photo: Huy Thu |
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Like rice crackers, cassava crackers are dried and then collected, not left to dry too much as they can easily break or warp. Photo: Huy Thu |
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After drying, the cakes are stacked and pressed flat with a wooden board. Photo: Huy Thu |
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Thanh Tuong's delicious cassava rice paper is favored by customers inside and outside the province. The products are purchased by traders right at home at a price of 1,400 - 1,500 VND/piece. Mr. Nguyen The Hoa - head of hamlet 1 said: The cassava rice paper making profession lasts from October to April of the following year, creating jobs for many workers and bringing in a good income for the people in the hamlet. Photo: Huy Thu |
Huy Thu