Watch the Hmong people of Nghe An make their specialty cake 'lua dua'.
Dao Tho - December 30, 2023 07:43
(Baonghean.vn) - As Tet (Lunar New Year) approaches, the Hmong people in Nghe An begin the season of making "lua dua" cakes. These sticky rice cakes are mainly used for family consumption and are also an indispensable item in the ancestral worship ceremonies of some clans.
The Hmong community in Nghe An province mainly lives in clusters on high mountains in Ky Son, Tuong Duong, and Que Phong districts. This ethnic group still preserves many distinctive cultural features, from clothing, festivals, funerals, and weddings to cuisine. Photo: Dao ThoAfter the harvest season, as Tet (Lunar New Year) approaches, Mong families in Son Ha village (Ta Ca commune, Ky Son district) begin making sticky rice cakes. This type of cake embodies the traditional culinary culture of the Mong people from ancient times to the present day. The sticky rice used is upland rice, soaked in water for 5-6 hours before being steamed until cooked. (Photo: Dao Tho)According to Ms. Lau May Hua in Son Ha village, she and other villagers have been making these cakes for nearly a month now. “The Hmong people call this cake ‘lua dua,’ and it must be wrapped in dong leaves or banana leaves. During Tet (Vietnamese New Year), this dish is indispensable in Hmong villages,” said Ms. Lau May Hua. (Photo: Dao Tho)After being steamed until cooked, the glutinous rice is poured into a thick wooden mortar and pounded until smooth. Photo: Dao ThoPounding the rice is the most labor-intensive step in the cake-making process. This step requires strong people using heavy wooden pestles to pound the rice continuously until it becomes thick and sticky. Photo: Dao ThoThe glutinous rice is pounded until smooth for about 20 minutes to ensure it's white and sticky. Photo: Dao Tho“Each kilogram of glutinous rice can make 5-10 cakes, depending on their size. During Tet (Vietnamese New Year), some Hmong families will use these cakes to offer to their ancestors, with the largest cake placed at the bottom, the smaller ones in the middle, and the smallest one on top,” said Mr. Mua Ba Vu from Son Ha village.To prevent the dough from sticking to their hands when shaping the cakes, the Hmong people boil an egg and then rub the yolk on their palms. (Photo: Dao Tho)The Hmong people's cakes have a simple shape but are made with great care. They can be baked or fried, but the finished product must be white, fragrant, and chewy. These cakes are offerings that the Hmong people make to their ancestors during festivals and holidays, hoping for a year of favorable weather, lush vegetation, and good health. Photo: Dao Tho
The Hmong people make sticky rice cakes for Tet (Vietnamese New Year). (Video by Dao Tho)
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