The traditional craft of Tuy Loan rice paper has existed for hundreds of years and has been recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage.
Tuy Loan rice paper making profession in Hoa Phong commune, Hoa Vang district, Da Nang city was included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage of traditional crafts by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in February. this year.
In Tuy Loan ancient village, more than 500 years old, there are still 15 households practicing this profession. In the photo is the rice paper factory of 80-year-old Dang Thi Tuy Phong. He is also a rare person in the village who has a daughter to succeed him.
To make rice paper, the worker must grind rice flour late at night the night before and wake up 1-2 a.m. the next day, alternately coating and drying the rice paper until about 10-12 a.m.
Cake flour must be milled from "circle" rice (February 13 rice) grown and harvested by the people in the village. "Rice from other places cannot make the famous crispy Tuy Loan rice paper," Mr. Phong said.
After grinding, the flour will be mixed with spices such as fish sauce, salt, sugar, ginger, white sesame... According to the artisans in the village, each establishment has a different secret to mixing spices, so the baked cakes can be eaten immediately.
The cake is coated with two layers and cooked with steam for 25-30 seconds. An experienced craftsman only needs to look at the amount of steam rising to use a thin bamboo stick dipped in boiling water to skillfully remove the cake from the cloth stretched over the pot.
Mr. Phong's facility often has students come to experience making rice paper. The children were instructed by the old man and his daughter how to take the cake out of the pot.
The still wet cake is spread on bamboo mats to dry. Every time a group of students comes to experience baking, people in the village are willing to guide "the young people how to make specialty cakes".
According to Mr. Phong, making rice paper can bring in an income of 400-500 thousand VND a day. However, because the job often requires waking up early and hanging around the bakery, many young people in the village do not choose to pursue this profession.
People in Tuy Loan village mostly dry cakes with charcoal. Charcoal is used from baking furnaces or charcoal. They do not dry the cakes outdoors because "the cakes are seasoned and drying outside will not be hygienic".
"Drying cakes with charcoal can be done all year round and dries faster, regardless of whether it's raining or in winter with little sunshine," said Ms. Tran Thi Luyen, who has more than 50 years of making rice paper in Tuy Loan.
Establishments like Mr. Phong and Mrs. Luyen's family usually coat about 20 kg of rice every day, requiring one to two people to coat it within 10 hours to make 160 cakes.
The reason they chose the kitchen behind the house to coat and dry the cakes was to limit dust. Each facility makes 2-3 bamboo sheets to dry the quantity of cakes made in time.
After about 6-7 hours of drying on charcoal, through many flips, the cake with a diameter of about 30 cm gradually turns yellow and dries from the inside out.
Dry cakes are packaged in dozens of pieces in a package, priced at 22.000 VND per piece. Tuy Loan rice paper is mainly sold to agents and people who order in advance to send to relatives abroad.
Cooked rice paper costs 27.000 VND per piece. According to artist Tran Thi Luyen, Tuy Loan rice paper is ordered in large quantities by many people of Da Nang - Quang Nam origin residing in the US every time they return home. For local people, every death anniversary or offering tray must have this cake.
Students enjoy the process of making cakes when sitting around the warm stove and smelling the aroma of new cakes.
Artisans in the village are also happy because Tuy Loan rice paper is included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage. “We hope many people know and enjoy this cake. Tourists coming here to experience baking also helps the craft village become more bustling," Mr. Phong said.
Nguyen Dong – Vnexpress.net