Ho Mooc - A dish of filial piety from the Thai people of Nghe An.

(Baonghean) - During important holidays and festivals, the offering tray of the Thai people in western Nghe An cannot be without Ho Mooc, a cake made from rice and natural herbs and spices found around the house. The Thai people have a tradition that children and grandchildren only hold the Filial Piety Ceremony after they have their own families.

Hó moọc - a dish served at Thai feasts.

This ceremony is usually held when the parents of the husband or wife are experiencing health problems or prolonged illnesses. At such times, the ceremony is held to encourage the elderly, praying for their speedy recovery and long life so that their children and grandchildren can live happily and prosperously.

The ingredients for making mooc are usually readily available at home or in the garden. Rice is soaked overnight and then pounded until very fine the next morning. The finer the rice, the more evenly it mixes with the meat filling and spices, resulting in a chewier mooc. Mooc can have various fillings, but chicken or fish is the most common, depending on the family's taste and preference. Nowadays, for convenience, many Thai families also use pork or beef fillings, creating a wide variety of flavors for each type of mooc. Another equally important ingredient is the young shoots of the wild banana tree.

Rice, meat, and banana blossoms are all finely chopped or pounded, then mixed together before seasoning. Besides salt, roasted dổi seeds, green chilies, and "mác khén" seeds are added. If the filling is chicken, finely chopped and crushed lemongrass is added, along with a little lime leaves for extra aroma. It sounds simple, but making truly delicious hó moọc to satisfy diners requires the skill and ingenuity of the women here.

Once all the ingredients are mixed thoroughly, it's time to prepare the wrapping. Scoop a large spoonful of the mixture onto clean, neatly cut banana leaves, layering them into moderately thick sheets and wrapping tightly. After wrapping, the mixture is placed in a wooden steamer and steamed for about an hour until it emits a characteristic aroma of cooked rice and meat. When cooked, remove it from the steamer and carefully place it in a woven basket in the kitchen to cool before offering it to ancestors. Because the rice porridge is seasoned to taste, it is usually eaten without other side dishes.

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