Hung Lo cassava cake - a delicious dish from the ancient village.

The ancient village of Hung Lo, in Hung Lo commune, Viet Tri city, has long been famous for its many delicious and unique local dishes, leaving a lasting impression on anyone who has tasted them. Along with sticky rice cakes, steamed rice cakes, noodles, vermicelli, peanut candy, ginger candy, rice crackers, etc., cassava cake is also a special local delicacy in this ancient village.

The main ingredient of this dish is cassava (also known as tapioca). According to locals, cassava cake has been in the village for over a hundred years, since the time when the economy was difficult and life was hard, and people considered cassava as a staple food to fight hunger.

Hung Lo cassava cake – a delicious, rustic dish passed down from generation to generation.

Making cassava cakes isn't too complicated. Thinly sliced ​​and dried cassava is ground or pounded to make flour, then the fibers are filtered out to make the cakes. Back then, cassava cakes didn't have a filling; people would poke a hole in the middle with chopsticks to help the cake cook faster and more evenly. That's why people jokingly called them "chopstick-filled" cassava cakes.

Cassava cakes are made from young, fresh glutinous cassava tubers; the tubers must have small ends, smooth bodies, be easy to peel, and be pure white in color.

Nowadays, cassava cakes are made from young, fresh glutinous cassava tubers, which must have small ends, smooth bodies, be easy to peel, and be pure white in color. After washing, the cassava is grated into pieces, dried, and then ground into a fine powder. Alternatively, some households have a more improved method: they peel the cassava, then pound it until smooth, squeeze out the juice, and leave the pulp to settle, obtaining a fine starch.

The baker mixes the flour with hot water and kneads it thoroughly until it forms a smooth dough before using it to make the pastry shells. According to Ms. Cao Thi Nam from Tan Tien area, Hung Lo commune: A particularly important point to note when kneading the dough is that it must be kneaded with boiling water; only then will the pastry be pliable and smooth. If kneaded with cold water, the pastry will be crumbly and not taste good.

The fillings for the cassava cakes are prepared in a variety of ways and are more substantial, depending on individual preferences. Savory cassava cakes may contain pork with mung beans, or pork with wood ear mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, etc. Sweet cakes may contain mung beans, and can also include shredded coconut, black beans, red beans, etc.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoan, from Zone 5, who has many years of experience making cassava cakes in Hung Lo commune, said: Making cassava cakes is not difficult, but the baker must skillfully spread the dough evenly so that the cake crust doesn't tear when exposed to high temperatures. Wet dough is very sticky; if the crust is spread thinly, when the filling is added and rolled into balls, it will form an oval shape about the size of a free-range chicken egg.

After wrapping, the dumplings are steamed for about 40 minutes.

The cake is wrapped in a layer of banana leaves (specifically, the "ngự" variety), as wrapping it in banana leaves would cause it to turn dark. This layer of leaves prevents the cake from sticking during steaming and makes it easier to hold while eating. The final step is to steam the cake for about 40 minutes until cooked through. The cake tastes best when eaten hot.

The cassava cake after it's finished.

When cooked, cassava cake is white, with a soft, chewy crust, a natural sweetness from the young cassava flour and mung beans, a crunchy texture from the wood ear mushrooms, and the sweetness of the pork filling... Each filling offers a different flavor, but cassava cake with minced pork and wood ear mushrooms is still the most popular and beloved. Some people compare cassava cake to tapioca dumplings, however, the chewy texture of cassava cake and its distinct flavor make you want to eat two, three more...

Currently, not only in Hung Lo commune, but also in many places throughout the province, cassava cakes are made and recognized as OCOP products in various localities. This has elevated this once humble, famine-fighting dish into a specialty, creating unforgettable impressions for diners.

If you have the opportunity to visit Phu Tho, especially Hung Lo ancient village, don't miss the chance to experience this unique dish and explore the rich, diverse, and fascinating culinary culture of the land of the Hung Kings.

Vinh Ha

Source: https://baophutho.vn/banh-san-hung-lo-mon-ngon-lang-co-226859.htm