The aroma of young rice flakes heralds the arrival of autumn.

It's unclear whether the arrival of green rice flakes is only possible when autumn arrives, or whether the aroma of green rice flakes is what brings autumn to Hanoi .

These emerald green, chewy rice flakes, imbued with the essence of heaven and earth, have accumulated over countless sunny summer days to deliver a uniquely delicious taste that is indescribable.

Bananas eaten with young rice flakes.

Le Ha

Only when you hold in your hands a packet of fragrant, ethereal-smelling glutinous rice flakes wrapped in lotus leaves, slowly unwrap it, take a pinch, put it in your mouth, and chew it leisurely, will you truly appreciate it.

Sticky, sweet green rice flakes, with a delicate sweetness reminiscent of milky rice. The refreshing aroma of young glutinous rice melts on the tongue; they don't stick to your fingers but are chewy and sticky in your mouth. A simple yet captivating treat from Thang An (Hanoi).

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Hanoi is famous for its Vong Village green rice flakes , which captivate diners with the meticulousness in the selection of ingredients and processing. Delicious green rice flakes must be made from glutinous rice grains that have just begun to ripen but still retain their green color, sown in separate fields, free from any other rice varieties. The rice is harvested when the stalks bend and the grains are still milky.

The rice used to make cốm (a type of Vietnamese rice snack) should not be threshed or pounded, but carefully stripped to prevent the grains from being damaged or crushed. Then, the young glutinous rice is roasted in a pot. The roasted cốm must be pounded immediately; it must not be allowed to cool, as this ensures the desired chewy texture.

The type of glutinous rice used to make these precious com (roasted young rice flakes) is the "golden flower" glutinous rice, which is smaller and rounder than regular glutinous rice. It's the kind of rice where, when you taste a grain, a sweet, cool, milky flavor spreads across your tongue.

Hanoi's green rice flakes (cốm) have a history spanning thousands of years. In the past, they were a precious delicacy offered to the emperor and became an elegant dish of the people of Thang An (Hanoi). Eating green rice flakes isn't about satisfying hunger; it's about savoring the flavors of autumn and appreciating the subtlety of this special gift from Hanoi.

The way people in Hanoi eat it is also special; they can eat sticky rice flakes on their own or dip them in ripe bananas and quail eggs to enjoy. From sticky rice flakes, people in Hanoi also create many other dishes that are considered Hanoi delicacies, such as sticky rice flake sweet soup, sticky rice flake patties, sticky rice flake cakes, etc.

In Hanoi during the autumn days, the gentle breeze blows softly, the sun shines like honey on the green leaves, and the delicate aroma of young rice flakes (cốm) permeates the streets. It's a special treat found only in Hanoi.