The fifth lunar month has come, the southern sun pours down a brilliant golden light, the red phoenix flowers burn in every corner of the sky. The first rains of the season suddenly come to cool the harsh summer sun.
Vietnamese people are eagerly preparing for the Doan Ngo festival (5.5 lunar month) - a meaningful day, not only to kill insects and protect crops but also an occasion for family reunion and sharing love.
And in that warm atmosphere, the sweet, refreshing taste of sweet sticky rice balls (floating rice balls) is indispensable – a symbol of fulfillment, fullness and happiness.
Che xoi nuoc is not only a delicious dessert but also an indispensable part of our country's culinary culture, containing profound cultural values. For many generations, this dish has been passed down through many generations, present in ancestor worship ceremonies on traditional holidays. They represent the rice culture, expressing gratitude to ancestors and heaven and earth, reflecting the lifestyle, beliefs and souls of the Vietnamese people.
During the Duanwu Festival, Vietnamese people believe that eating hot, spicy foods like ginger, or sweet, sticky foods like sweet sticky rice soup will help purify the body and eliminate internal worms. The round balls of sweet rice float to the surface of the water when cooked, symbolizing fulfillment and success in life.
Making sweet sticky rice balls does not take much time but requires care and skill. Sweet sticky rice balls are made from smooth sticky rice flour, filled with sweet green beans, cooked in warm ginger sugar water. When cooked, the balls float gently on the water surface – which is also the origin of the name “sweet sticky rice” (or sweet floating balls). Sweet sticky rice balls are often eaten with coconut milk, roasted sesame seeds and sometimes crushed peanuts, creating a combination of sweet, fatty, slightly spicy, aromatic flavors – both delicate and rich.
With unique creativity, sweet sticky rice soup with the variation of adding small balls of rice without filling called che yi, helps the dish to be richer in both form and flavor.
I still remember clearly that rainy afternoon when I had just returned from the city to celebrate the Duanwu Festival. My grandmother, with her hair as white as clouds, and my mother were sitting by the small fire, their hands quickly shaping each ball of sticky rice. The fragrant smell of ginger mixed with the smoke from the kitchen, the sugar water was simmering, each round white ball of cake began to float – floating like a memory of my childhood that had just come flooding back to me.
My grandmother said: "Che xoi nuoc is not only for eating, but also for remembering, for loving, for worshiping ancestors, for inviting grandparents to celebrate Tet with their children and grandchildren." At that time, I was too young to fully understand the meaning of what my grandmother said. But many years later, when my grandmother passed away, I made the first che balls for the offering tray with my own hands. Under the incense smoke, in the middle of the small kitchen, I suddenly realized - che xoi nuoc is a thread connecting the past and the present, the heart of the previous generation passed on to the next generation, through a simple dish but full of love.
Each soft round cake is not just flour and beans, but also the image of mother, grandmother, the sunny years in the hometown, and lessons of being a person that no book can teach.
In modern life, many young people are still looking for ways to preserve and renew the dish of sticky rice with water – by changing the filling, creating rich shapes or being creative in presentation. Despite its new appearance, the dish still retains its traditional flavor and cultural spirit.
Instead of the traditional round white balls, modern versions of sweet sticky rice are shaped with many natural colors from health-friendly ingredients: green from pandan leaves or green tea powder, purple from purple sweet potatoes or purple leaves, yellow from pumpkin or turmeric, light red from beetroot. The five-color sweet balls not only attract the eye, but also contribute to inspiring a healthy lifestyle, loving natural cuisine. From a traditional dish to modern life, sweet sticky rice is being breathed into life by the young generation with unlimited creativity - preserving the old essence in a new and attractive appearance.
When eating a bowl of sweet sticky rice soup, the first feeling is the aroma: the warm, spicy ginger scent spreads lightly in the rising steam, mixed with the fatty scent of coconut milk and the fragrant scent of roasted sesame. Touching the round sweet rice ball with your lips, the sticky rice dough is soft and chewy but not soggy. Inside is a layer of rich green bean paste, sometimes with a little saltiness or fat from grated coconut, black sesame or durian. The warm, moderately sweet ginger syrup leaves a gentle and pleasant feeling in the throat - as if soothing a tiring day.
Each ball of sweet soup is a blend of sweet - spicy - fragrant - fatty, not harsh, not hasty. It is a dish that makes us eat slowly, feel more, like a simple message: There are things that are small but enough to warm the heart.
Many Vietnamese people, even though they live far from home, still remember the taste of a bowl of sweet rice and water cooked by their mother - a childhood memory, a feeling of reunion.
People say: the best dish is not about the sophisticated ingredients, but about the feelings put into it. And sweet sticky rice soup is a dish that carries that kind of feeling – simple, full, and warm like a hug from a loved one during the holiday season.
Mai Thao
Source: https://baotayninh.vn/che-xoi-nuoc-huong-tet-doan-ngo-a190780.html
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