Reviving the Poria cocos cake

THE STRANGE "LISTEN WHILE YOU SIP" CAKE

In Mạ's House in the ancient town of Bao Vinh (Phú Xuân District, Huế City), Ms. Phan Nữ Phước Hồng gently poured the sweetened tapioca starch into a small, pretty copper mold, then pressed down firmly with the lid. After removing the mold, the intricate, ancient patterns were revealed. Witnessing Ms. Hồng making the "phúc linh" cakes and explaining the meaning of each cake, the French tourists were amazed. They found it fascinating to experience the process and take home cakes they had made themselves. "During this time of year, leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), I choose to introduce and let tourists participate in the process of making 'phúc linh' cakes, so they can better understand the traditional Tet of our nation," Ms. Hồng shared.

Ms. Phan Nu Phuoc Hong demonstrates how to make茯苓 (Fu Ling) cake for French tourists.

As a nostalgic person and a culinary instructor (Hue College), Ms. Phuoc Hong is knowledgeable about and frequently makes traditional cakes. She believes that Phuc Linh cake is a prime example of the artistic fusion of cake-making from different regions. Phuc Linh cake is made similarly to Khao cake from the North, but differs in basic ingredients. While the North uses roasted glutinous rice, Hue uses only tapioca flour. From the Nguyen Dynasty onwards, Phuc Linh cake was elevated to a higher status, appearing on banquet tables in mansions and the royal court with more luxurious ingredients, such as lotus seed flour replacing tapioca flour. This led to a diverse range of decorative patterns for this type of cake. Depending on the occasion, whether for religious ceremonies or tea parties, the cakes are decorated with characters like "fortune," "prosperity," "longevity," "double happiness," or drawings of flowers…

“My family still keeps an antique bronze mold with a dragon image imprinted on it for the cakes. Only families from noble or royal families had this type of mold,” Ms. Hong said. According to the explanation of the famous Hue culinary artisan, Mai Thi Tra (92 years old), the Chinese name for the arrowroot tuber is "phuc linh," and the cake is made from arrowroot flour, hence the name "phuc linh cake." “Hue-style phuc linh cake is made purely from arrowroot flour and white sugar, not tapioca starch and coconut milk like in the South. The cake is crispy and melts quickly in the mouth, with a mild, refreshing taste and a delicate aroma,” Ms. Tra further explained.

Having tasted this cake in the 1990s, I can never forget the flavor of each piece. What I remember most is biting into it and letting it melt in my mouth; the tapioca starch dissolves effortlessly, leaving a sweet, refreshing sensation in my throat. The cake doesn't need any fancy fillings or elaborate preparation, yet it leaves a lasting impression on many, perhaps because of its unique "savor it in your mouth" style.

CHERISHING THE WHITE CAKE

Elderly artisan Mai Thi Tra provides detailed instructions for those who want to make authentic Hue-style glutinous rice cakes. First, you need a rectangular copper mold with decorative carvings inside. The ingredients include 500 grams of tapioca starch, 400 grams of white sugar, 10 pandan leaves, and white parchment paper. “The tapioca starch can be steamed or roasted with pandan leaves for fragrance. If roasted, the starch is ready when the leaves are crispy. Add sugar and 1 cup of water, heat on the stove until thick, let cool, then mash until smooth. Sift the starch onto a tray, add the sugar, mix well, and knead until smooth. Let it rest for a while so the sugar and starch absorb each other, then press the cakes,” Ms. Tra explains.

Poria cocos cakes, made with pure white powder, are wrapped in transparent cellophane paper.

Tapioca starch – the main ingredient in making茯苓 (Fu Ling) cake.

Exquisite copper mold for making茯苓 (Fu Ling) cakes with printed lids.

The process of printing the cake requires placing the mold in a tray, filling it with batter, and pressing the lid down firmly. To achieve a beautiful, prominent pattern, use two thumbs to press and rotate the cake evenly. Press the lid down with your thumbs, pull the mold up with your index fingers, and remove the cake; place the cake on a tray lined with clean paper and dry it until crispy. "We wrap the cakes in clear, transparent oil paper to distinguish them from other types of lotus seed cakes. Poria cocos cakes are a type of dry cake that can be stored for a long time," Mrs. Tra said.

The process of making the cake sounds simple at first glance, but according to People's Artisan Hoang Thi Nhu Huy, in the old days, making a pristine white cake wrapped in cellophane required an extremely laborious process of preparing the arrowroot starch. During the harvest season, Ms. Nhu Huy and her sisters would dig up the long, slender, white arrowroot tubers, which contained a lot of starch… Then, they would clean and prepare them, grind them into a paste, and mix everything with clean water. They would filter out the fibers, keeping only the milky liquid starch solution. This liquid would settle at the bottom of the container, and the water would be drained off. They would then add clean water, stir, let it settle, and drain the water a second and third time to ensure the powder was very fine. Finally, the powder would be dried in the sun.

“High-quality flour is completely dry, light, and smooth when rubbed with your hand. Tapioca flour is a good food, providing many nutrients and is easily digestible for all ages,” Ms. Nhu Huy shared. Through fieldwork, researcher Tran Nguyen Khanh Phong learned from artisans that to make the flour light, fluffy, and fragrant, the steaming process must be done carefully to prevent water from dripping into the flour tray. The sugar syrup must be stirred continuously until smooth. A delicious cake is one where the flour melts coolly in your mouth when eaten.

Ms. Phuoc Hong fondly remembers the glorious past of Hue's traditional Tet cakes. Over the years, she has diligently researched, experimented, and successfully made many types of cakes, including the "phuc linh" cake. "I welcome tourist groups and students to experience making these cakes, hoping to spread the essence of Hue's cuisine and let people know that Hue once had such delicious cakes," Ms. Hong shared.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/giu-huong-tet-xua-hoi-sinh-banh-phuc-linh-185250119223545888.htm