Banh chung ca: Flavor of the mountains and forests

In Thai Nguyen, the Tay people live in the northern part of the province, accounting for 54%. In the cuisine of the Tay people, there are unique features that many tourists enjoy discovering, banh chung ca is one of those unique features.

People in Cho Giai village, Phuc Loc commune wrap fish banh chung. Photo: Viet Hung

Elders in the villages and hamlets confirmed that this unique dish has existed for a long time. Mrs. Lam Thi Vui, 59 years old, in Ban Chang, Nghia Ta commune shared: Since I was little, I have seen my mother and the people of Na Khao village, Yen Phong commune, often wrapping banh chung with fish filling. At that time, the Tay people often raised carp in low-lying rice fields. This type of cake is only made once a year on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month.

To make the cake, around the 4th and 5th lunar months, when planting rice, people will release carp fry into the fields. The fields are not fertilized with chemicals or sprayed with pesticides so that the fish can live in a clean environment. The fish swim under the rice, eat the colors and plankton… and grow like that.

Near the full moon of July, when the carp are at their fattest, people just need to drain the water, the fish will swim into the low areas of the fields and catch them. Before wrapping the cakes, the fish will be released into clean water, starved for a few days. If the house is near a stream, people will release the fish there, for a few days, when the fish's intestines are clear, then process them.

Depending on the region, the way to prepare and marinate the fish filling is also different. Some places gut the fish, some only gut the fish, leaving the intestines intact. The spices used to marinate the fish filling are the same, some places use crushed galangal, some use ginger leaves or Vietnamese coriander. Many families often use chopped young ginger leaves, along with freshly picked peppercorns from the garden to marinate the fish...

This marinade not only enhances the flavor of the cake but also removes the fishy smell of the fish. Before wrapping the cake, the fish is mixed with the spices and a little seasoning powder.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Lau, Cho Giai village, Phuc Loc commune, makes the cake filling by marinating the fish with Vietnamese coriander and dried pepper, and adding small pieces of pork belly. Ms. Nguyen Thi Lau affirmed: Almost all Tay people know this type of cake.

As Ms. Nguyen Thi Lau said, I was once at Cho Giai on the 15th day of the 7th lunar month and witnessed the bustling scene of people making cakes. On this occasion, the villages and hamlets were bustling like a festival. People washed dong leaves in the stream, people soaked rice, marinated fish on the floor. In each house, the kitchen smoke curled up, carrying the aroma of prosperity. Adults taught children, those who knew taught those who did not know.

After washing and soaking the sticky rice for a sufficient amount of time, it is spread evenly, and the fish and pork belly filling are placed neatly on the sticky rice layer. Pour another layer of rice on top and wrap the cake. Fold one end of the leaf and stand the cake up, then pat the body of the cake gently so that the rice and filling are spread evenly. Then, skillfully shape and tie the bamboo strips into a humped banh chung, unique and full.

The cake is put into the pot to boil for about ten hours, the fish and rice will be cooked evenly, the fragrant and delicious flavors will be absorbed and blended together. While waiting for the cake to be cooked, everyone quickly makes other cakes or new dishes. The crackling sound of the firewood blends with the murmuring voices of the women telling all kinds of stories: stories of people returning from far away, stories about the seasons, planting forests, how to make delicious and beautiful banh chung with fish filling...

On the full moon day tray, along with green-necked duck meat, wild vegetable salad, fish sticky rice cake is truly a special dish imbued with Tay culture. The fragrant taste of fish, rice, dong leaves, the fatty taste of meat, the light spicy taste of ginger leaves, pepper... creates a unique flavor of the mountains and forests, both familiar, rich and irresistible, unforgettable. Holding a plate of fragrant sticky rice cake, when enjoying it just once, you will feel the love that the women put into the cake.

Source: https://baothainguyen.vn/van-hoa/202509/banh-chung-ca-huong-vi-cua-nui-rung-4ce37e9/