Through a Facebook page selling glutinous rice cakes, we inquired and found the home of Mrs. Huynh Thi Thieu in Tan Loi B hamlet, Ta An Khuong Nam commune, who has maintained the traditional glutinous rice cake making craft for nearly 50 years.

Every morning, Mrs. Huynh Thi Thieu and her son pound rice cakes using a wooden pestle and a stone mortar.

Ms. Thieu recounted: "When I was a young girl, my mother taught me how to make various kinds of cakes, including sticky rice cakes, and then I would take them to the market to sell. Even after I got married, I continued this profession to this day."

To produce fresh, delicious rice cakes, Mrs. Thieu only makes them to order. Every evening, she takes out the soaked glutinous rice, and at 3-4 am, she and her daughter-in-law stay up to grind the flour, wring it out, then roll the dough into small balls, boil them until cooked, and let them drain. While the dough is still warm, she takes it to a stone mortar and pounds it. Her son, being strong, uses a pestle, while Mrs. Thieu kneads and mixes the dough, adding the caramelized sugar syrup to achieve the right sweetness. Once the dough is neither too dry nor too wet, she proceeds with the rolling process.

From small, round balls of dough resembling glutinous rice dumplings, with her nimble, skilled hands, Mrs. Thieu quickly rolls them into thin, round, fragrant rice cakes. She then neatly arranges them on a woven mat and places them on a drying rack to catch the early morning sun. The more sun the cakes are exposed to, the more puffy and shiny they become, and the more they puff up when baked…

According to Mrs. Thieu, in the old days when they were farmers, every Tet holiday, as soon as the glutinous rice ripened in the fields, they would harvest it, thresh it, soak it, and immediately use it to make puffed rice cakes, which had a very special flavor. Now, although the taste isn't quite the same as before, she tries to buy good quality glutinous rice and follow the recipe passed down from her grandparents to make delicious puffed rice cakes, helping everyone experience that familiar taste, especially during Tet.

"Currently, I'm also passing on the craft to my children and grandchildren with the hope of maintaining the traditional profession and also contributing to their income and livelihood. Every day, I make 200-500 cakes, earning between 150,000 and 250,000 VND," Mrs. Thieu added.

Intense sunlight is essential for drying rice crackers, resulting in a glossy, puffy texture when baked.

Similarly, Mr. Nguyen Quoc Viet, from Tan Duc A hamlet, Tan Duc commune, Dam Doi district, has also been continuing his family's tradition of making glutinous rice cakes for over 30 years.

Mr. Nguyen Quoc Viet and his family have been making puffed rice cakes for over 30 years.

Mr. Viet said that, in addition to making square rice cakes, the puffed rice cake business has brought a significant income to his family for many years, especially during Tet (Lunar New Year) when the production increases two or three times compared to normal days. However, this year, due to the pandemic, the family only accepts orders based on demand.

According to those who make glutinous rice crackers in Dam Doi district, in order to create a market for their products, in addition to referrals from acquaintances and members of the women's association, they have also proactively sought out outlets by posting advertisements on social media platforms like Zalo and Facebook. Thanks to this, the local rice cracker dish has become more widely known, attracting orders and helping the locals maintain their craft.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Mau, Vice President of the Women's Union of Dam Doi District, said: "Currently, the shrimp cracker making profession is quite popular among members in the district. However, the traditional glutinous rice cracker making profession is quite arduous, requiring waking up at 2-3 am to cook the rice and knead it to catch the morning sun, and it's seasonal, so the number of households maintaining the profession is not large, only about 3-4 households. In the future, the union will have specific activities to influence members to preserve and develop the glutinous rice cracker making profession along with some other traditional crafts, combined with introducing markets, helping women increase their income, stabilize their lives, and contribute to strengthening the bonds of sisterhood within the branch."

Loan Phuong

Source: https://baocamau.vn/banh-phong-nep-don-tet-a2183.html