Mrs. Bay's sticky rice stall has been at Bien Hoa train station for 35 years, with customers waiting even before she sets up shop.

The sticky rice sold in baskets at Bien Hoa train station is associated with the childhood memories of many people for 35 years. Many Saigon residents are willing to spend more than an hour just to find the taste of the paper-wrapped sticky rice here.

A simple basket of sticky rice at Bien Hoa train station nestles on a peaceful road - Photo: DANG KHUONG

It was a small basket of sticky rice, tucked away in a corner of the street in front of Bien Hoa train station. The seller was a 72-year-old woman. She said, "If you're looking for me, just ask for Mrs. Bay who sells sticky rice, and people will show you the way."

Mrs. Bay's sticky rice stall has no sign or tables and chairs, yet she has been selling it wholesale for almost 35 years. Many regular customers have nicknamed the stall "Bien Hoa Train Station Sticky Rice."

The sticky rice stalls at Bien Hoa train station have changed, but nobody knows.

Mrs. Bay recounted that she learned the trade by "by observation." While walking down the street, she saw vendors selling sticky rice. She bought some to try, and from then on, she liked it and learned how to cook it herself.

Perhaps the most striking aspect of the legacy is its simplicity and unpretentiousness. Her shop only has a low table, an old plastic chair, and a basket of hot, fragrant sticky rice with shredded pork.

From dawn, some locals waited to buy sticky rice from Mrs. Bay - Photo: DANG KHUONG

The basket of sticky rice is her "treasure," so it's carefully covered with two or three layers of plastic.

Covering it this way prevents dust from getting on the food and also keeps the sticky rice warm and fragrant for longer.

The aroma emanating from Mrs. Bay's sticky rice pot, carried by the heat of the food, is irresistibly captivating.

Therefore, from dawn, some people would gather in groups of five or seven around the electric pole where she usually sat, just to wait for her to open her basket of sticky rice to sell.

A long-time customer shared: "I've been eating here for many years. The sticky rice here has a very special taste; I've been eating it since I was a child and it still tastes the same. Eating it brings back so many childhood memories."

However, few people realize that each packet of sticky rice seems to have undergone subtle changes over time.

While preparing the sticky rice, Mrs. Bay kept saying to her customers, "Oh dear, I scooped too little shrimp paste. My eyesight is failing, I can't see the shrimp anymore. Please understand."

With just a few simple ingredients, the sticky rice brand near Bien Hoa train station has left an indelible mark on the hearts of many diners - Photo: DANG KHUONG

Ms. Bay recounted that when her restaurant received recommendations from various people, more customers would come to eat. During those times, she would be overwhelmed with customers and couldn't keep up with the demand.

Many customers asked why she didn't cook another basket to meet demand. Mrs. Bay confided that her health was failing. She wakes up at 2:30 a.m. to cook a basket of fragrant, sticky rice, so she didn't know when she would ever finish cooking more.

Poor quality glutinous rice can easily ruin the essence of sticky rice.

Watching the trembling hands scooping up the sticky rice, the buyer feels a mixture of affection and nostalgia, recalling the aroma of sticky rice cooked by their grandmother or mother when they were children.

Mrs. Bay's ivory-colored sticky rice balls are "almost" the same. When eaten, the rice is very chewy and topped with the sweetness of shredded pork, a little fried shallots, and Chinese sausage.

The sticky rice packets at Bien Hoa train station, with their many toppings, evoke childhood memories for many people - Photo: DANG KHUONG

Each ingredient blends perfectly. The sweet shredded pork, eaten with sticky rice, and the salty Chinese sausage balance the flavors of the entire sticky rice dish.

All those ingredients were neatly wrapped in a sheet of newspaper. When opened, the sticky rice package looked both tidy and complete.

With just these few ingredients, Mrs. Bay's sticky rice at Bien Hoa train station is simple, rustic, yet surprisingly delicious.

After enjoying a packet of sticky rice from Mrs. Bay, Ms. Q., who lives in Saigon, said: "It's been a long time since I last ate sticky rice like this. The rice here is very chewy. If the rice wasn't this good, it would easily lose the soul of the sticky rice."

From 6 a.m., Mrs. Bay starts setting out her sticky rice to sell. However, her basket of sticky rice is so used to selling out very quickly that long-time customers know this and often wait in line before she starts selling.

Each generous portion of sticky rice costs only 15,000 to 20,000 VND.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/thung-xoi-ba-bay-35-nam-o-ga-bien-hoa-khach-cho-san-tu-khi-chua-don-ban-2024111110421681.htm