Palm cake - specialty of the Seven Mountains region of An Giang

Even in its name, palm sugar cake has a very specific identity. The small cake, deep yellow color and the characteristic aroma of palm fruit are the identifying features of palm sugar cake in the Bay Nui region of An Giang. Although simple, but enjoying the first cake, the eater craves to enjoy the second, the third...

Palm cake specialty of Bay Nui region, An Giang .

Following the recommendations of many Tiktokers and the online community, we were curious to visit Ms. Phan Thi Kieu's house in Nui Voi ward to experience. Based on the baking profession, Ms. Kieu has maintained it for nearly 10 years, proving that her skills have been "rated" and supported by customers for a long time.

Our first impression when entering the small production space of Ms. Kieu’s family was the batches of hot steaming cakes just out of the oven. Hundreds of cakes were round, small and stood out with their golden color and sweet, distinctive aroma.

Ms. Kieu said that she produces more than 1,000 pieces per day; during peak holiday season, the capacity increases to 3,000 pieces per day. Thanks to customer support, reasonable prices and keeping the original recipe, her family has been able to live a stable life thanks to this profession for many years.

The flour mixture is prepared to steam palm cake.

Ingredients are the decisive factor in making the famous palm cake in An Giang. The cake is made from rice flour, coconut milk, especially palm fruit and palm sugar. Palm trees produce nectar and fruit from November to May of the lunar calendar (the following year). Depending on the season, the palm cake making profession is also most concentrated during this period.

To make palm cake, you have to harvest ripe palm fruit until it is soft and fragrant. However, ripe palm fruit is not easy to buy because people usually harvest the fruit just ripe enough to sell. From June (lunar calendar) onwards, the production of cakes has decreased due to lack of raw materials.

The baker will grind the flesh of the ripe palm fruit to mix with the flour. Thanks to this ingredient, the palm cake has a unique natural color and flavor, not mixed with any other type of cake. The sweetness also takes advantage of palm sugar to double the aroma of the cake without getting bored of eating it.

Ms. Kieu prepares to arrange leaves to make palm sugar cake.

According to Ms. Kieu's experience, the key factor that creates the flavor and softness of the cake depends largely on the fermentation technique before pouring it into the mold and steaming. The fermentation process combines the mixing of rice flour and palm sugar, and ferments with rice wine for about 3 - 3.5 hours.

After fermentation, the dough will have a characteristic aroma, not too liquid or too thick, with many air bubbles rising when stirred. At this step, you must watch to add rice wine water to the dough mixture, helping to speed up the fermentation process of the cake, the finished cake will be fluffy and will not become hard after a long time.

Mr. Ly Phi Hung, a regular customer of Ms. Kieu, the palm cake has a combination of many different flavors, the fatty taste of coconut milk mixed with the sweet taste of palm sugar - a famous specialty in the Bay Nui region. In addition, the cake is considered a familiar dessert and snack for the people.

At Ms. Kieu’s palm cake bakery, there are individual orders of up to 500 cakes to send to family and friends. From a traditional cake of the Khmer people, this palm cake has become a popular gift, sold to visitors from all over the world when they visit the Bay Nui area, An Giang.

News and photos: NHU HUYNH - KIEU TRANG

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/banh-bo-thot-not-dac-san-vung-bay-nui-an-giang-a466504.html