Simple and rustic Poóc Sang Văn Lãng cake

- Using simple, rustic ingredients such as sticky rice, sesame seeds, and peanuts, the Tay and Nung ethnic groups create their dishes. In the communes of Hoi Hoan and Gia Mien, Van Lang district, a unique and chewy Pooc Sang cake has been created, imbued with the authentic flavors of the homeland. This is one of the indispensable cakes for the local people to offer to their ancestors' altars during festivals and holidays, or to entertain guests from afar.

According to locals in Gia Mien and Hoi Hoan communes, Pooc Sang is a traditional cake of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups in the area. No one remembers when the cake got its name, only that their ancestors have called it by that name for a long time.

To learn about how to make this unique cake, we visited the family of Ms. Ly Thi Hien in Ban Mang village, Hoi Hoan commune. Ms. Hien shared: "Pooc Sang is a traditional cake of the Tay and Nung ethnic groups. Almost every household in Hoi Hoan commune makes this cake during holidays and festivals... Therefore, since I was little, my mother taught me how to make traditional Pooc Sang cake. The ingredients for Pooc Sang cake are very simple and rustic, but to create a delicious finished product requires many elaborate steps and the skill of the baker."

Ms. Ly Thi Hien, from Ban Miang village, Hoi Hoan commune, is cutting the finished Pooc Sang cake.

The ingredients for making Poóc Sang cake include: glutinous rice flour, peanuts, sesame seeds, granulated sugar, etc. To ensure the cake is chewy, crispy, and fragrant, the selection of ingredients is crucial. The rice used for the flour must be glutinous rice, with large, round grains. The glutinous rice is soaked for 4-5 hours, then milled into a watery paste and placed in a muslin bag, which is then hung up to dry. Next, the baker kneads the dough and divides it into small portions. To give the cake an attractive color, in addition to the traditional white flour, bakers also use colors from gac fruit, butterfly pea flowers, etc.

The most important step in making Poóc Sang is frying the batter. If the baker isn't skillful, the batter will stick or cook unevenly. To do this, the baker will put a little cooking oil in a pan, heat it until very hot, then add the batter and use a spatula to spread it evenly and thinly. During frying, the baker must adjust the heat appropriately, avoiding high heat to prevent burning, and continuously flip the batter until it puffs up, indicating it's cooked.

After frying the batter, the baker will add the filling. The filling of Poóc Sang consists of peanuts or sesame seeds mixed with sugar. The sesame seeds, peanuts, and sugar must be ground until very fine, then added to the batter, rolled up, and cut into small pieces.

The finished Poóc Sang cakes, rolled into layers, have a crispy texture, the aroma of sesame, and the rich, nutty flavor of peanuts. This tradition has been preserved by the people of Hội Hoan commune to this day. Not only is it a cake made for holidays and festivals, nowadays many families make this cake during their leisure time to eat or to offer to guests from afar.

Ms. Nong Thi Huong, from Vinh Trai ward, Lang Son city, said: "I am very impressed with the Pooc Sang cake from Van Lang district. When I had the opportunity to visit the commune, I had the chance to enjoy this cake. When I ate it, I found the cake very soft and chewy, yet still crispy, combined with peanut and sesame filling, it was very unique and delicious."

Ms. Hua Quynh Nga, Head of the Culture and Information Department of Van Lang District, said: Pooc Sang cake is a unique type of cake, with a long history, found only in Hoi Hoan and Gia Mien communes. It is a familiar and indispensable treat for the people during holidays and festivals, especially at the Love Market (March 27-29 of the lunar calendar), and for entertaining honored guests... becoming a distinctive feature of the local culinary culture. To contribute to preserving the traditional culinary culture of the nation, the department will continue to coordinate with relevant units to promote and advertise Pooc Sang cake through social media and the district's electronic information portal; and research incorporating Pooc Sang cake into cultural and tourism experience programs and events in the district...

Without needing fancy or expensive ingredients, but using the simplest, most familiar ingredients, and through the skillful hands of the locals, they have created a unique cake, imbued with the flavors of the countryside. And perhaps, it is this rich, soulful flavor that leaves an unforgettable impression on those who have had the chance to taste this cake.

Source: https://baolangson.vn/moc-mac-banh-pooc-sang-van-lang-5027811.html