Sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes - a specialty of the Northwest region of Nghe An province.
 |
Techniques for grilling sticky rice in bamboo tubes. |
According to the experience of the Thai people in Quy Chau district (Nghe An province), making delicious Khau Co Lam (bamboo-cooked rice) requires many steps.
People choose young bamboo stalks; the best bamboo tubes must be cut from mature bamboo stalks that receive the most sunlight, neither too old nor too young. Each tube has one end cut off, and the other end serves as the bottom of the pot.
For cooking sticky rice in bamboo tubes, fragrant glutinous rice is selected, soaked until it swells, then washed thoroughly, a little salt is added, mixed well, and then the rice is placed into the bamboo tube and enough water is added to cover the rice. The mouth of the bamboo tube must be sealed with wild banana leaves or dong leaves to prevent the sticky rice from becoming bitter and to preserve its flavor.
Grilling sticky rice in bamboo tubes requires skill; you have to prop the tubes upright over the fire and turn them over evenly so the rice doesn't get undercooked. After about an hour, the enticing aroma of sticky rice is a sign that it's cooked.
Before eating, use a knife to split off the burnt outer layer, then peel back the white inner layer to reveal the sticky rice in a solid tube shape, surrounded by a thin white membrane of bamboo pith.
 |
Sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes is served at festivals. |
In the past, sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes was preferred for women during the postpartum period. According to Thai beliefs, women who eat sticky rice after giving birth will avoid the metallic substances in the cooking pots (cast iron, aluminum, copper, etc.), thus not affecting their health or the quality of their breast milk.
For generations, sticky rice cooked in bamboo tubes (com lam) has been a favorite dish of ethnic groups, especially at festivals in the western districts of Nghe An province, such as the Hang Bua Festival, Tham Om Festival (Quy Chau), and the Nine-Room Temple Festival (Que Phong)... This culinary delight has become popular with foreign tourists, and in hotels and restaurants today, com lam holds the title of "number one dish" on the menus for discerning diners.
However, in the current market, besides those who make authentic, delicious bamboo-cooked rice, there are still some who produce low-quality rice, using bamboo tubes that are too old and lack the silk membrane, or boiling them instead of roasting them individually... Unintentionally, this has diminished the quintessential flavor of the mountains and forests.
Text and photos: Tran Ngoc LanQuy Chau, Nghe An
