Exciting rice cake pounding competition in Khau Vai commune

BHG - On the morning of April 24, in Khau Vai commune (Meo Vac), the Banh Giay pounding contest - a prominent activity within the framework of the Phong Luu Khau Vai Market Festival 2025 took place enthusiastically, attracting a large number of tourists and locals to participate and cheer.

The organizers awarded prizes to the teams participating in the competition.

Banh giay is a traditional specialty of the Giay, Tay, and Nung ethnic groups in the area. With the main ingredient being sticky rice, the cake is steamed, then pounded in a mortar until it reaches its characteristic sticky consistency. Each cake is small, round, 4-5 cm in diameter, about 1-2 cm thick, carrying the rustic flavor of the mountains and forests.

The teams perform the process of making rice cakes.

This year’s competition had the participation of 4 teams with 24 members from the communes: Khau Vai, Nam Ban, Tat Nga and Niem Son. In 45 minutes, the teams prepared all the ingredients such as sticky rice, green bean paste, banana leaves and traditional mortar and pestle. Under the cheers of the audience, the hands quickly pounded and shaped the cakes, creating batches of cakes that met the criteria of being beautiful, soft, smooth and round.

Not only is it a useful playground, the contest also contributes to preserving and promoting traditional cultural beauty, bringing tourists closer to the unique cultural life of the ethnic communities in the Meo Vac highlands.

At the end of the competition, the Organizing Committee awarded prizes to the teams, in which Niem Son commune team won first prize, Khau Vai commune team won second prize, Tat Nga and Nam Ban commune teams shared third prize.

News and photos: SON HA

Source: https://baohagiang.vn/van-hoa/202504/soi-noi-hoi-thi-gia-banh-giay-tai-xa-khau-vai-4a22bc2/