(Baonghean.vn) - Coconut-flavored sticky rice cake is a long-standing and famous specialty of Tuong Son commune, Anh Son district. The impoverished Tuong Son area is changing every day, and its improved living standards are partly due to this local specialty.
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| Ms. Tran Thi Ha (owner of Ha Luong production facility) said: "Previously, we had to hire people to go into the limestone mountains to pick thorny leaves, but now my family utilizes our garden land to grow thorny plants for making cakes." |
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| The right kind of nettle leaves should be neither too old nor too young. Wash them thoroughly, remove the fibers, and cook them for about 10 hours. Then, remove them from the water and mash them into a paste. |
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| The dough kneading process is done quite meticulously to ensure the cakes are soft and fragrant. |
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| Making banh gai (sticky rice cake) involves many steps; the photo shows the process of cutting and cleaning dried banana leaves for wrapping the cake. |
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| After being finely ground, the thorny leaves are mixed thoroughly with glutinous rice flour and molasses, then the bean filling is added and the mixture is wrapped tightly. |
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| Tuong Son sticky rice cakes have a long history, with the craft passed down from generation to generation. On average, each production facility processes 800-1,000 cakes per day. During Tet (Lunar New Year), the number of cakes processed doubles or triples to meet customer demand. (In the photo: Students take advantage of their school breaks to help their parents make cakes). |
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| After being steamed until cooked, the sticky rice cakes are tied together in pairs. Each pair costs 2,500 dong. |
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| To date, Tuong Son commune (Anh Son district) has over 40 households specializing in producing thorn cakes, many of which employ workers. Each worker is paid between 80,000 and 100,000 VND per person per day. |
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| The sticky rice cake from the Coconut region has spread to many places thanks to tourists. |
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| The fragrant, chewy sticky rice cake from the Coconut region has created a unique cultural feature in the western part of Nghe An province. |
Le Na
