Soft and fragrant Vinh Hoa sticky rice cake
(Baonghean.vn) -No one remembers exactly when the tradition of making banh chung (Vietnamese rice cakes) first appeared in Vinh Hoa (Hop Thanh - Yen Thanh), but according to the elders in the village, during the war, a small number of women in the village would make a few dozen banh chung daily and carry them to the market to sell. Because food was prohibited from being processed into noodles or cakes at that time, the production of banh chung in Vinh Hoa (Hop Thanh - Yen Thanh) ceased for quite a long time.
After the opening up period, people throughout the country and the province had many opportunities to develop their economy. As a predominantly Catholic area, characterized by small-scale trading and market activities, the people of Vinh Hoa were determined to revive the traditional craft of making rice cakes. Initially, they made banh chung and banh tet (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes), but due to customer demand, Vinh Hoa now also produces banh mat and banh gai (traditional Vietnamese sticky rice cakes). It is known that in 2012, Vinh Hoa had 384 people participating in the rice cake making craft, with an average income of 24.7 million VND per person per year.
Mr. Nguyen Tho, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Hop Thanh commune, said: "The restoration of the Vinh Hoa agricultural processing village has brought many benefits to the people. First of all, the village has created jobs, stabilized livelihoods, alleviated poverty, boosted economic growth, and is also a driving force contributing to the transformation of the agricultural and rural economic structure. Besides that, the restoration of the village truly meets the needs and aspirations of the Catholic people of Vinh Hoa – because this is a craft passed down from generation to generation, and is very much supported and welcomed by the people. The economy is developing, the village roads and alleys are clean and beautiful. There are no more temporary or leaky houses; the sense of community and neighborly relations is becoming stronger and more enduring. In particular, the percentage of students admitted to universities and colleges is higher each year than the previous year."
Mr. Tran Quoc Khanh is wrapping banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) for Tet (Lunar New Year).
Visiting Vinh Hoa during the last days of the year, one can witness the bustling and urgent atmosphere of preparation for the 2013 Lunar New Year (Year of the Snake). Every house is filled with piles of green banana and dong leaves, and mung bean and white sticky rice stacked in corners... Ms. Hoang Thi Chau, nearly 40 years old, has been making these cakes since she was five or six. Ms. Chau recounts: "In this village, everyone has work. Children spend half the day at school and the other half cleaning leaves; the elderly split bamboo strips; and young men and women prepare sticky rice, make fillings, wrap cakes, cook them, and deliver them. Following this cycle, day after day, month after month, the Vinh Hoa cake-making village becomes even more vibrant, as some families receive cakes from as far away as Con Cuong, Nghia Dan, Tan Ky, and even Cua Lo and Vinh."
Currently, there are many establishments and villages specializing in making banh chung (Vietnamese sticky rice cakes) throughout the province, but Vinh Hoa banh chung has its own unique flavor. Talking to Mr. Tran Quoc Khanh – a Catholic with over 20 years of experience in making banh chung – he confided that he wouldn't choose any other profession because he loves this work. Moreover, every time he sits down to make banh chung, he feels like he's wrapping up his homeland, the love of his people, into each cake. I laughed, saying he was being too poetic, but upon reflection, I realized Mr. Khanh was absolutely right. The green banh chung is made from the main ingredient of glutinous rice – the essence of the countryside – with a mung bean filling, and a slice of pork belly marinated in dried onions and pepper… All of this is done by the hands of hardworking people.The cakes are wrapped in dong leaves, then in banana leaves, and finally in another layer of green dong leaves. These cakes are not only offered to ancestors but also to heaven and earth, the kitchen god, and the god of wealth, so they must be fragrant, delicious, and pure.
Khánh's family's banh chung (Vietnamese rice cake) shop.
For the people of Vinh Hoa, banh chung (Vietnamese sticky rice cake) has become a familiar dish. It's always readily available at home, and whenever guests come to visit, they're offered banh chung, green tea... and the conversation eventually revolves around where their village's banh chung has traveled to, or how many cakes their village will make this Tet holiday.
From 4 or 5 in the afternoon, the whole village gathers to wrap rice cakes until 8 p.m., when they light their stoves and cook the cakes. At 1 or 2 in the morning, they take the cakes out of the ovens, and around 4 or 5 in the morning, the whole village wakes up, calling out to each other as they go to sell and deliver the cakes. The atmosphere in the village is always as joyful as Tet (Vietnamese New Year).
In the flickering light, Ms. Chau's face seemed happier: "Every year during Tet, we have to work day and night, but we're used to it, so we don't feel tired. The more people order rice cakes, the happier we are. On normal days, we use about 50 kilograms of sticky rice, but during Tet, it's always several tons. This year, if you need to order rice cakes, just give me a call, and someone will deliver them right to your door." Ms. Chau laughed as she quickly handed me her phone number and added, "Remember, it's Khanh-Chau's rice cakes!"
Leaving Vinh Hoa, we all shared in the joy of the local parishioners who made the rice cakes. And we are confident that Vinh Hoa rice cakes will become a well-known "specialty" like Vinh eel porridge, Nam Nghia tamarind meat, Nam Dan soy sauce, Hung Chau peanut candy... when we have the opportunity to visit Yen Thanh, Nghe An!
Thanh Thuy
