Seasonal rice meal: Clean from field to table

The atmosphere at the Tu Viet Rice Harvest Club was lively with meals conveying the message "Clean from the fields to the table."

From early morning, the meeting hall was bustling with activity. On the long table, baskets of organic vegetables were beautifully arranged: fragrant rice, water chestnuts, lotus seeds, carrots, taro, pumpkins… all carefully selected from the fields, meeting organic standards.

Delegates enthusiastically listened as chef Thach Thien spoke about how to prepare dishes using seasonal rice.

These seemingly familiar ingredients are transformed into something new when subtly combined to create the five-colored herbal rice dish – a dish that is both delicious and visually appealing, evoking memories of bountiful harvests in the countryside and waterways.

Five-colored herbal rice – a unique combination of local rice grains and natural vegetables, both delicious and visually appealing.

The highlight of the seasonal rice meal is the braised fish and the signature fermented fish sauce of the Mekong Delta. Chef Thach Thien shared: “I want to connect farmers – those who have dedicated their lives to cultivating rice – with the kitchen. Therefore, I minimize the use of industrial seasonings, instead using organic coconut oil to braise the fish, which creates a rich, sweet flavor while eliminating the fishy smell.”

"In particular, the fish sauce broth, made from fermented snakehead fish, needs no additional seasoning yet is rich, fragrant, and imbued with the spirit of the countryside."

Braised snakehead fish with organic coconut oil and fermented fish sauce embodies the authentic spirit of Southern Vietnam.

Wild vegetables are harvested from rice paddies during the harvest season.

In this meal, each dish carries its own philosophy: Vegetables and fruits provide diverse nutrients, each with its own flavor and benefits, helping to balance nutrition; coconut water adds natural sweetness; and fermented snakehead fish sauce preserves the essence of the countryside. This combination not only enriches the flavor but also elevates the traditional rice meal to a new level – deeply rooted in rural life yet with a far-reaching appeal.

Each dish in the seasonal meal embodies the philosophy of "eating clean, living green," utilizing the natural sweetness from vegetables and coconut water.

Mr. Le Quoc Viet, owner of Tu Viet Rice Farm, said that his farm currently grows 13 precious traditional rice varieties such as Nang Thom, Chau Hong Vo, Huyet Rong, Nep Cai Hoa Vang, floating rice, and Trai May… Today's meal was cooked with Nang Thom Con Vinh Quoi rice – a delicious traditional rice variety known for its fluffy, soft texture and distinctive flavor, deeply connected to rural memories.

The 71-meter-long S-shaped bridge, constructed from palm tree trunks, has become a unique highlight of the rice-growing cultural landscape.

Not only focusing on gene conservation, Mr. Tu Viet also built a 71-meter-long S-shaped bridge using palm tree trunks, a familiar tree species of Tac Cau, to create a cultural highlight and connect tourists with the organic rice fields.

Interestingly, not only local people and farmers but also international friends had the opportunity to experience the taste of seasonal rice. Mr. Alan Broughton, Vice President of the Organic Agriculture Association (OAA) of Australia, personally tasted a bowl of seasonal rice water and commented enthusiastically: "It's like milk, very unique and fragrant." This positive evaluation has opened up hope for An Giang's seasonal rice, a source of pride, to reach further into the international market.

Alan Broughton, Vice President of the Organic Agriculture Association (OAA) Australia, tastes a cup of rice water from a seasonal rice crop.

Before sitting down for the meal, delegates toured the cultural space dedicated to the rice harvest at the meeting hall. Traditional farming tools such as sickles, rice planting stakes, baskets, and traps were arranged simply but evocatively. Each item told a story, a memory of the diligent and resilient life of Southern Vietnamese farmers.

Delegates visited the rice-growing cultural space, which featured many traditional farming tools such as sickles, baskets, and traps, evoking memories of farmers' lives.

The harvest meal also included lecturers from An Giang University, members of the Mekong Organic Organization, and students from Ca Mau such as Huynh Phuc Minh (Phan Ngoc Hien High School for the Gifted) and Lam Thai Tuan Kiet (Hermann Gmeiner School).

Mr. Tu Viet caught a catfish that he had been raising since 2012, feeding it pineapple peels and banana peels daily, to treat guests from afar.

Children get to witness firsthand how a grain of seasonal rice is transformed into a clean and healthy meal, hear about the philosophy of "eating clean, living green," and, more importantly, feel a sense of pride in their homeland's agricultural products.

Students from Ca Mau, along with lecturers from An Giang University, experienced the philosophy of "eating clean, living green" through a meal featuring seasonal rice.

Chef Thach Thien of the Mekong Organics organization shared: “I hope that the seasonal rice meal will not only be a culinary experience, but also a bridge connecting farmers with the kitchen. From there, the rice, fish, vegetables, and fermented fish sauce… will not only feed farmers' families but also be present on tables everywhere, carrying the message of organic and sustainable agriculture.”

Children get to experience how people in the past cultivated rice grains.

Today's meal, with its fragrant five-colored herbal rice wrapped in lotus leaves, its rich and flavorful braised catfish, its dried-braised snakehead fish, its fermented rice-cooked catfish… is more than just delicious. It's a story of faith and connection from the fields to the table, from the hands of the farmer to the heart of the diner.

Children accompanying their parents from Rach Gia ward experience a meal made with seasonal rice, vegetables, and traditional fish sauce.

Above all, it inspires the aspiration to bring the traditional rice, which has been intimately connected with the lives of people in the Mekong Delta for generations, to the world, based on its values of cleanliness, safety, and the warmth of the homeland.

Mr. Le Quoc Viet, owner of Tu Viet Rice Farm, presented chef Thach Thien with two bags of fragrant Con Vinh Quoi rice, currently cultivated on his farm, before their farewell.

Text and photos: DANG LINH

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/bua-com-lua-mua-sach-tu-ruong-dong-den-ban-an-a460983.html