The new season of young rice flakes in Cư K'nia.

The soul of the countryside in the aroma of freshly roasted rice flakes.

Every autumn, when the glutinous rice stalks are plump, neither too old nor too young, and begin to turn yellow, Tay women in Cu K'nia commune harvest them and thresh the grains. The plumpest grains are selected to make flattened rice flakes (cốm).

To produce fragrant, chewy rice flakes, imbued with the soul of the countryside, from glutinous rice grains, Tay women must put in a lot of effort and go through many stages.

Com is made from high-quality glutinous rice, harvested when the grains are plump but still milky and not too old.

Ms. Hoang Thi Hoan, a Tay ethnic woman from Hamlet 5, Cu K'nia Commune, is famous for making delicious sticky rice flakes (com). Every autumn, Ms. Hoan is busy preparing for the new com crop of the year. Early in the morning, while the dew still clings to the rice stalks waiting for the morning sun, Ms. Hoan goes to the fields to harvest the rice for making com. The rice must be harvested in the morning, avoiding direct sunlight because the sun will dry out the sap, resulting in com that is neither delicious nor chewy.

With a sickle in one hand, Mrs. Hoan nimbly cuts the plump, evenly shaped glutinous rice stalks. Harvesting glutinous rice for making flattened rice flakes isn't done on a large scale; she only cuts the amount needed. This is because the rice must be threshed immediately after harvesting to make the flakes. If left overnight, the flakes will become bland and less delicious.

As September arrives, the glutinous rice fields of the Tay ethnic minority in Cu K'nia commune, Cu Jut district, begin to bloom evenly, preparing for the new season of making young rice flakes (com).

After threshing the rice, Mrs. Hoan washes the grains thoroughly and removes any empty grains that float to the surface. Next, she puts the rice into a pot to steam until the grains are evenly cooked and reach a certain softness.

After steaming the glutinous rice until cooked, Mrs. Hoan poured it into a basket to drain. Then she roasted it over a fire until dry. Once the glutinous rice cooled, she pounded it in a stone mortar until the husks appeared, then scooped it out and sifted it, discarding the husks before pounding again. After this thorough pounding, sifting, and winnowing process, she obtained green glutinous rice grains imbued with the aroma of young rice, which are what we call "cốm" (young glutinous rice flakes).

Every year, Mrs. Hoang Thi Hoan makes delicious batches of fragrant rice flakes for her family and neighbors.

Speaking about the secret to making delicious green rice flakes, Ms. Hoang Thi Hoan shared: “When the rice plants have fully bloomed and started to wilt about a week ago, and the rice is still a light green color, that's when they make the best green rice flakes. Old rice doesn't work; the grains are yellow, hard, and not tasty. During the steaming process, you have to stir the rice three times to ensure the glutinous rice grains cook evenly. When roasting, you have to stir continuously, watching until the husk slightly changes color and peels off the grain.”

Each step is done meticulously, imbued with the dedication and accumulated experience, the secrets passed down from generation to generation of the Tay people.

The Tay people use young rice flakes (cốm) to create many unique dishes, imbued with a fragrant, sweet, and alluring flavor, such as sticky rice cakes with young rice flakes, steamed young rice flakes, young rice flake patties, steamed young rice flake sweet soup, and sticky rice with young rice flakes… Young rice flakes have a distinct sweetness. The sweetness comes from the young rice grains and the autumn sun. The aroma of young rice flakes is the essence and richness of the Tay people's culinary art.

The plump, glutinous rice grains must go through many steps to become the delicious and fragrant cốm (Vietnamese rice flakes).

In the Tay ethnic villages of Cu K'nia, the elderly and children alike eagerly enjoy the fresh green rice flakes. The aroma of young rice at the beginning of the season always fills everyone with anticipation, evoking a whole world of childhood memories for the children here. Ha Thi Truc, from village 5, Cu K'nia commune, shared: “The green rice flakes are chewy, fragrant, and very delicious. During the green rice flake season, I really enjoy making them with my grandmother and mother.”

Aspiration for prosperity

Like Mrs. Hoan, in the memory of Mrs. Nong Thi Hanh, a Tay woman from Hamlet 3, Cu K'nia Commune, sticky rice cakes evoke memories of the hard and arduous years spent by the stream and on the hills. Bringing with her the golden-flowered sticky rice variety of her homeland, along with the love and care of her family and village, Mrs. Hanh planted the rice in Cu K'nia. Her love and attachment to this new land blossomed from there. In the fields, the rice plants grew, embodying the hopes and dreams of a prosperous and fulfilling life for her family.

“The glutinous rice variety 'Cai Hoa Vang' brought from our hometown has large, round grains, making for a vibrant green rice flake that is both chewy and delicious. It takes six months from sowing the seedlings to harvesting. The rice plants have to grow almost as tall as a person's head,” Ms. Hanh shared.

The season for young rice grains is also when the rice fields of the Tay ethnic people in Cu K'nia commune, Cu Jut district, turn yellow, awaiting a joyful harvest season.

For the Tay people, the season of new green rice flakes also marks the time when farmers prepare to harvest the fruits of their biggest summer-autumn rice crop of the year. This is the result of months of hard work, imbued with effort and love.

Autumn is also the season for new rice flakes, and the Tay people celebrate the new rice harvest, considering it a kind of New Year's celebration. Young glutinous rice symbolizes the freshness and purity of nature, representing fertility and growth. Making rice flakes from young glutinous rice is considered a spiritual ritual, a prayer for favorable weather and a bountiful harvest.

Ms. Vi Thi Hue, a Tay woman from Hamlet 3, Cu K'nia Commune, said: “Before the whole family gathers together to enjoy the freshly harvested sticky rice, we always light incense to invite our ancestors first. The elderly and children alike are eager to enjoy this autumn delicacy, the result of the family's hard work and the hope for a bountiful harvest.”

The vibrant green color and distinctive aroma of young rice flakes make this a unique autumn delicacy for the Tay ethnic group in Cu K'nia commune, Cu Jut district.

These tender, fragrant green rice flakes, both simple and heartwarming, are made with the kind hearts of the Tay ethnic people. This rustic dish is not only a rich culinary art but also a sacred traditional value and a unique cultural identity of the Tay people.

According to Mr. Ma Van Loc, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Cu K'nia commune, the Tay ethnic group in the commune comprises 454 households with over 1,910 people, mainly concentrated in hamlets 2, 3, 4, 5, and 8. These Tay households originate from Cao Bang, Bac Kan, Thai Nguyen, etc. To date, the lives of Tay households are basically stable. Many households have built prosperous new lives and actively contribute to local activities and movements. The Tay people also preserve and promote their traditional cultural identity in their second homeland, such as clothing, cuisine, and music . A Tay and Nung folk music club has also been established and operates effectively in the commune.

Source: https://baodaknong.vn/deo-thom-huong-com-cu-k-nia-228311.html