Keeping the fire of Long Huu rice paper making profession alive

For generations, in Long Huu Islet, Banh In has become a part of people's lives, creating a unique feature that is hard to miss. No one knows when the Banh In making profession began here, but through many ups and downs, it has still been preserved by the people of this area. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of modern life, there are still hard-working hands preserving the traditional profession left by their grandparents. They meticulously make each batch of cakes as if to preserve the rustic, simple soul of the countryside.

Mrs. Pham Thi Kim Tam (residing in Cau Ngang hamlet, Long Huu commune, Tay Ninh province) carefully stir-fried the cake filling on the stove and said: "This job is very hard, but I'm used to it. Since I was a child, I saw my grandmother and mother making banh in. In this area, almost every family knows how to make banh in, but few people do it for business."

Mrs. Pham Thi Kim Tam is one of the famous cake makers in Long Huu area.

Making banh in seems simple, but to get a fragrant, rich cake is a whole process. From choosing ripe bananas, drying them in the sun, old ginger but just spicy enough, to scraping coconut, cooking the filling,... everything is done by hand. "In the past, even kneading dough, scraping coconut was done by hand, now with machines it's better, but drying bananas, cutting ginger or cooking the filling, roasting beans all have to be done by hand and have to be done on a wood stove to be delicious. When frying the filling, you have to keep an eye on the medium heat for an hour, otherwise if you're in a hurry, a high heat won't work either. Making banh in is hard but fun, seeing the batch of cakes beautifully molded is worth the effort" - Mrs. Tam smiled, sharing.

Not only is the process elaborate, Long Huu's cake mold is also very unique. Taking out a wooden mold that has darkened over the years, she said: "We live in Long Huu, so the cake mold must also have the shape of a dragon or phoenix. This mold was left by my mother, it's very old, but nowadays it's very difficult to find one, or even have someone carve it specifically for you."

Nowadays, this type of cake mold is very hard to find on the market.

As Mrs. Tam said, in Long Huu island, every household knows how to make banh in, but not many do it for business anymore. Mr. Bui Van Oanh, a banh in maker in Long Ninh hamlet, said: "Now the whole commune has about a few dozen households specializing in making banh in, mainly to sell to acquaintances and tourists . Every day, my family sells a few dozen cakes. Long Huu banh in has a very unique flavor, so even though we don't advertise much, we still have a stable source of regular customers."

In recent years, when community tourism has been interested, the Long Huu people's rice cake making profession has become more known. Some travel companies bring visitors here to experience, kneading dough, pressing cakes and listening to stories about the Long Huu rice cake making profession. "The visitors are very happy, they like to take pictures and learn about the profession. We sell cakes and tell stories about the profession, which is also a way to preserve the profession of our ancestors" - Mr. Oanh shared.

Mr. Bui Van Oanh and his wife (Long Ninh hamlet) have kept the rice cake making profession for decades.

Long Huu Island is surrounded by Vam Co River, Rach Cat River and Nuoc Man Canal, surrounded by water on all sides, life is peaceful. In the past, when road traffic was not yet developed, Long Huu was a developed area because it was located on the waterway from Saigon Cho Lon to the Western provinces. Boats often chose the waterfront area on Nuoc Man Canal to stop to rest, repair and exchange goods. The profession of making Banh In, perhaps also developed from that time, to serve merchants passing through this area.

Nowadays, when road traffic develops, Long Huu no longer has the same advantages as before, however, as an island, there are famous historical relics such as the Hundred Pillar House, Rach Cat Fort,... along with the traditional rice cake making profession, Long Huu is suitable for developing community tourism. Acting Chairman of Long Huu Commune People's Committee - Huynh Phuong Khac Vu said that the recent Party Congress of the commune has identified tourism development as one of the main development directions of the locality.

Long Huu rice cake has a unique flavor from the combination of the sweetness of dried bananas, the richness of peanuts and the warmth of chopped ginger.

Coming to Long Huu, visitors will be immersed in the story of the days when this land was a bustling trading place, visit the Hundred Pillar House, and then in a space imbued with traditional Southern architecture, enjoy a cup of fragrant tea and a piece of fragrant, sweet cake to feel the sincerity and hospitality of the Long Huu people.

Amidst the flow of modern life, Long Huu people still diligently preserve the old profession. Long Huu rice cakes are not only a gift from the countryside every Tet holiday but also a link connecting tourists with the island imbued with affection. Hopefully, in the near future, along with the development of community tourism, the traditional rice cake making profession here will continue to be preserved, spread and become the pride of Long Huu island people./.

Guilin

Source: https://baolongan.vn/giu-lua-nghe-banh-in-long-huu-a205287.html