"One can costs 10,000 dong, six cans cost 50,000 dong," that's the price announced by Mr. Tran Cong Tinh, a resident of Cai Ngang hamlet, Hoa Thanh commune, Ca Mau city, who makes puffed rice snacks. Immediately after confirming the order, Mr. Tinh quickly receives the rice and mixes the ingredients to make puffed rice snacks.

Mr. Tinh and his wife previously worked in Binh Duong province, but due to the complicated Covid-19 situation, they returned to their hometown to avoid the pandemic and have stayed there ever since. Every day, they travel on their motorbike from morning until late afternoon, preparing to bring along food and drinks, and resting wherever they go. To protect themselves from the rain and sun, Mr. Tinh has even built a canopy on his motorbike using rubber sheets. Their busiest days are usually weekends, sometimes reaching a sales milestone of 10 kg of rice.

“Having a motorbike is very convenient; I can go wherever there’s a road. On sunny days, I earn more than on rainy days. I usually park my motorbike near Ward 8 or the gas-electricity-fertilizer company’s housing area (Ward 1, Ca Mau City). The rice is brought by the customers, and I prepare the other ingredients myself. The most cumbersome part is the generator; it can only produce puffed rice, while making regular rice requires a complicated fire-starting device. This job is a decent way to make a living, the only downside is that I have to travel constantly, but I’ve gotten used to it,” Tinh shared.

Sticky rice flakes are not only delicious, but the process of watching them being made is also very enjoyable.

Green rice flakes are off-white in color, cylindrical in shape, and hollow inside. Depending on the buyer's preference, they are cut into short or long pieces. They have a characteristic sweet taste of rice, a nutty, rich, and crispy texture. Besides pure green rice flakes to maintain their original flavor, other ingredients can be added to create a more fragrant and appealing taste.

Mr. Tinh shared: "Each person can adjust the sweetness by adding less sugar or none at all. In addition, I also add mung beans, instant noodles, instant noodle seasoning... mix it all well, and then pour the mixture into the generator."

Not only is the rice puffing itself a favorite, but the process of making it is also fascinating. The rice puffing machine has a hopper at one end for feeding the ingredients into the pulverizer, and another end for the puffed rice. The finished product is continuously pushed out, and then quickly cut into desired pieces with scissors.

In the past, when snacks weren't as diverse as they are now, puffed rice was a favorite treat for both children and adults, often stocked at home, especially during Tet (Vietnamese New Year). The best way to enjoy puffed rice is to eat it immediately after it comes out of the oven, while it's still hot and fragrant with the aroma of rice.

Ms. Nguyen Mong Nghi, from Ward 1, Ca Mau City, shared: "It's been over 20 years since I last saw people popping rice flakes. Occasionally, when I go to the market, I see people displaying all kinds of rice flakes, but I still prefer popping my own rice and enjoying it on the spot. I can adjust the sweetness to my liking. Today, I brought 5 cans of rice to pop, and the finished product came out in 2 large bags. I'll probably take some back to my hometown to share with everyone."

Nguyen Viet Hung, 65 years old, from Ward 1, Ca Mau City, shared: “Before, when I lived near Song Doc, I used to see carts or boats selling puffed rice, but now it's very rare. I remember the price used to be only 2-3 thousand dong per can. With a large family, they would puff up a lot at once to enjoy later. Personally, I prefer only traditional puffed rice because the rice already has a sweet taste, and eating puffed rice with tea is also quite nice.”

In the past, to make puffed rice, people would travel along canals and rivers, venturing into remote areas in small ferries, using loudspeakers to announce their arrival. This signaled people to bring their rice to be puffed. Nowadays, the number of people making puffed rice has dwindled. Instead of traveling to different locations, they make it at home and sell it to buyers. So, when you suddenly see people making puffed rice anywhere, hearing the clattering sound, your heart is filled with nostalgia for that small joy of the past. The taste of home remains as pure as ever; it's just a simple snack, but it has accompanied many generations throughout their childhood.

Nhi Ngo

Source: https://baocamau.vn/com-ong-tuoi-tho-a2955.html