Rich in the flavor of sea salt

The leaves of the Nàng Rây plant are washed clean before being air-dried. Photo: VL

For generations, the people of the mountainous district of Bac Tra My have been accustomed to using the Nàng Rây plant to grind salt as a seasoning for their family meals. Nàng Rây is a plant that grows abundantly in the fields and gardens of the ethnic minority communities in the district.

Nàng Rây plant prefers shade, grows under forest canopies, and has a distinctive aroma, making it suitable for dipping grilled meats and river fish, or sour fruits.

To create a convenient product with a long shelf life for consumers, the Phu Quy Agricultural, Forestry and General Trade Service Development Cooperative (hereinafter referred to as Phu Quy Cooperative) in Tra Dong commune (Bac Tra My district) has researched and launched the Nang Ray salt product.

According to Mr. Le Van Ba, a member of the Phu Quy Cooperative, the unit surveyed the Tra Dong commune and found that there are approximately over 5,000 Nàng Rây trees being grown. The cooperative purchases Nàng Rây leaves and wild chili peppers to process into Nàng Rây salt.

Processed salt is then bottled in jars. (Photo: VL)

According to Mr. Ba, the process of making a jar of flavorful Nàng Rây salt must adhere to strict technical standards. The Nàng Rây leaves are harvested, washed, and then air-dried. Nàng Rây leaves cannot withstand direct sunlight, so all steps are carried out in the shade.

The leaves of the Nàng Rây plant are finely chopped and mixed with wild sim chili peppers, then ground into a paste before being roasted, filled, and packaged in a machine. A 100g jar of Nàng Rây salt is sold on the market for 20,000 VND.

Mr. Ba said: "After many failed attempts, the cooperative members have researched and developed a formula for creating granules for our Nàng Rây salt product, resulting in a very unique flavor. The salt we produce is made from clean agricultural products from local farmers and does not use any preservatives."

Currently, with only about 5,000 narcissus plants in the community, it's not enough to produce narcissus salt to supply the market, so the cooperative is supplying seedlings to expand the raw material source.”

The Phu Quy Cooperative has invested over 120 million VND in machinery to produce hygienic and food-safe Nang Ray salt. Of this amount, the National Target Program for Building New Rural Areas provided 19 million VND to help the cooperative complete the machinery system. Recently, several tourism businesses in Da Nang City have placed orders for Nang Ray salt to supply to tourists.

In 2024, Bac Tra My district had 7 products from 4 participating entities in the OCOP program that achieved 3-star rating, including: Nang Ray salt and bitter melon and cinnamon-scented tea bags from Phu Quy Cooperative (Tra Dong); Tra My cinnamon-scented orange tea bags and *Thien Nien Kien* essential oil from Ban Boa Agricultural and Medicinal Products Production Cooperative (Tra Giap); upland rice dried pho noodles and *Xuyen Chi* tea bags from Thanh Binh Production and Business Service Establishment (Tra My town); and Vinsam Ngoc Linh ginseng wine from Vinsam Quang Nam Investment and Development Co., Ltd. (Tra My town).

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/duom-vi-muoi-nang-ray-san-pham-ocop-3-sao-bac-tra-my-3144278.html