When the wind blows, it is also the time when the Tay and Nung people in Cao Bang make nuggets, spreading the taste of the countryside as if holding visitors back.
On October 11, blogger Ha Cuong and his brothers went to a house on stilts in the Thang Hen Lake eco-tourism area to shoot a video of “Huong Com”, an event organized by the eco-zone to promote tourism and cuisine. Cao Bang mountains.
This ecological area is located in Quoc Toan commune, Quang Hoa district, about 30 km from Cao Bang city, with a population of 36 natural freshwater lakes on the mountain, in which Thang Hen lake is likened to “great love cup” with blue watercolor. jade, the highlight is the yin-yang tiled stilt houses of the Tay – Nung ethnic group.
Ms. Tran Thi Thom, the owner of Thang Hen lake resort, is a good chef and guide for groups of guests who want to explore Cao Bang on their own without a tour program available. She shared that Cao Bang nuggets are not only a popular food but have become a product that brings a significant source of income for the people.
“During a business trip to Bao Lam district, Cao Bang, I bought some fragrant sticky rice and brought it home to sow in a corner of the field. The rice plants live well, bloom, and give large seeds, harvest rice as seeds in batches. this and so on to replicate it for the next crops. The rice seeds make fragrant nuggets and delicious glutinous rice, become a brand name, every year it’s just forgiving and not enough for sale”, Ms. Thom said about the origin of Huong sticky rice. planted in the Thang Hen lake area.
In the video, the Tay women wear traditional costumes and perform the stages of making nuggets in turn. The first is to choose glutinous rice grains that are still green, milking, washed, drained, and plucked by hand. After that, use a spatula to remove the flat rice seeds and put them in the pot to boil. When boiled, the seeds are picked out and roasted. Usually, when roasting the rice, it is necessary to use firewood and roast it in a cast iron pan to keep the heat, note that the fire is moderate when roasting while roasting and turning the rice on the pan.
When the grain is just on fire, it is pounded in a stone mortar, usually, two people alternately use a large wooden pestle to pound, the pounding movement is rhythmic, evenly hand-crafted, and well-thought-out to avoid collisions. The process after pounding is completed, the rice husks are blown away and done for a few times until all the shells are gone, leaving only thin, flexible, green, young rice grains. From the fragrant nuggets, the Tay people make many different dishes such as sticky rice, cakes, and rolls.
“Com is a popular but elegant and luxurious gift from the countryside. Delicious nuggets are pounded thinly but still retain their green color. The grains are loose, do not stick together and when lightly held, feel soft in the hand. Inviting tourists to Cao Bang, my hometown, with the flavor of nuggets that are always passionate in every autumn,” said Mr. Ha Cuong. Follow vnexpress
Photo: Ha Cuong