Attractive and delicious dish of river moss wrapped in banana leaves for Tet holiday

For Thai people, moss can be processed into many different dishes and processed in different ways such as moss soup, stir-fried moss, grilled moss. However, moss is a delicious specialty of the people in the highlands of Nghe An. Photo: Lu Phu

Following Ms. Vi Thi Xoa and many other women in Xieng Tam village, My Ly commune, Ky Son district to the Nam Non river, we experienced a day of moss digging of the local people here.

To get clean and delicious moss, people have to wade into the middle of the fast-flowing water. Photo: Lu Phu

The women of Xieng Tam village said that if you want to get a lot of young, delicious moss with little sand and gravel, you have to go to deep water areas with fast currents. "Only there is the moss clean and delicious," Ms. Xoa shared with a smile. Then she immersed herself in the fast-flowing water up to her chest, using a bamboo stick to continuously scrape off the moss clinging to the rocks at the bottom of the Nam Non stream.

Thai people divide moss into two types: “cay khuong” is the type of moss that grows in long, dark clumps; “cay hin” is the type of moss that is lush green and soft as velvet.

The moss cleaning process is no less tiring than the harvesting process. Photo: Lu Phu

Collecting moss is the most difficult step, but cleaning it is more careful. To clean the green patches, the women diligently use pebbles to pound the moss, then wash it with water many times so that sand and gravel cannot stick to it. Thanks to that, this rustic food becomes softer and tastier.

“Before the Ban Ve hydroelectric reservoir was built, the river section near Xieng Tam Ta village had a lot of moss. The whole village and commune could not get it all. Now there is less so it is very difficult to get it. After many hours of collecting, it is only enough for one meal. If you want to get more, you have to dive deep and it is very cold.”

Ms. Vi Thi Xoa - Xieng Tam village, My Ly commune (Ky Son)

Moss can be processed into many different dishes and prepared in different ways such as: moss soup, stir-fried moss, grilled moss, but the most delicious and attractive dish is moss sprouts.

For the moss dish, people will cut the moss into small pieces, pound spices such as broken rice, hot chili, mac khen (wild pepper), lemongrass and a little pork fat to make the dish shiny. Then wrap it in banana leaves into bundles and steam it over the stove. When an attractive aroma is emitted, the moss dish is cooked enough.

The Thai people's Tet meal cannot lack moss. Photo: Lu Phu

The period of time for moss to grow and develop is from the 11th lunar month to the 3rd month of the following year. This period coincides with the Lunar New Year. However, currently, due to environmental factors, especially the impact of hydroelectric projects, the living environment of moss is increasingly narrowing and decreasing. Currently, moss only grows in highland villages, where the water source has little human impact.

Because of its limited quantity, moss is increasingly valuable and has become a commodity sold on the market, providing seasonal income for people in villages that still maintain clean water environments.

With 1 kg of fresh moss cleaned of sand and gravel, the selling price is from 15 to 20 thousand VND. There are days when a resident in My Ly commune can earn from 400 to 600 thousand VND from selling moss. However, it also depends on weather conditions.

With a selling price of 15 to 20 thousand VND, moss has become a commodity that brings income to people during Tet. Photo: Lu Phu

With the habit of living near rivers and streams, for generations, the Thai people in the highlands have known how to use the resources that rivers and streams give, such as shrimp, crab, fish, snails and moss, to prepare traditional dishes for daily meals as well as to entertain distinguished guests at home on Tet holiday.

Previously, people in My Ly commune only picked moss to prepare daily dishes. However, now due to the environment, moss only grows in river sections in the areas of villages along the Vietnam - Laos border, such as Xop Duong village and Cha Nga village. Therefore, taking advantage of moss given by nature, people in the villages have exploited it to make goods to sell to earn income, especially during this Tet holiday when the demand for food increases.

Mr. Vi Kham Dao - Vice Chairman of People's Committee of My Ly commune, Ky Son district.