Keep the fire of rice paper profession in a hurry

Associated with childhood memories

The family of Mr. Nguyen Viet Bao (56 years old) is famous for making grilled rice paper in the village. Mr. Bao's childhood memories are the days he and his mother milled flour to make rice paper and sold it at all the markets in the district. When he grew up, he continued to follow the profession and has been attached to it until now.

According to Mr. Bao, the profession of making rice paper requires meticulousness in every step, from choosing rice, grinding flour to making the cake and must have its own "secret recipe".

From 3am, the kitchen of each family working in the trade is lit up to prepare the ingredients for making the cakes. The rice used for making the cakes must be new rice, Q5 or Khang Dan variety, and must not be milled too much to keep the “coat”. The rice needs to be soaked in enough water, the grains need to be plump before being ground, if soaked for too long, the rice will turn sour.

On average, Mr. Bau's family makes 4,500-5,000 rice paper cakes each month. During the Mid-Autumn Festival, the amount of baked rice paper cakes made is doubled. Thanks to the delicious, crispy product, Mr. Bau's family's baked rice paper cakes are consumed in almost all stores in and outside the district. "The greatest joy is when the cakes I make with my own hands are praised by everyone and are bought by tourists as gifts," Mr. Bao shared.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Luyen (53 years old), a resident of the "Voi" rice paper village, said that making a successful batch of rice paper also depends on the weather. The person making the rice paper must work steadily so that the rice paper dries evenly under the sunlight. Strong sunlight will help the rice paper dry thoroughly. After that, the rice paper is put on the grill. "Each rice paper is made twice. After the first layer of dough is cooked, spread another thin layer of dough, then sprinkle sesame on the surface of the rice paper," Ms. Luyen said.

According to the elders in the village, no one knows when the rice paper making profession began, but it is known that since its birth, the name Voi village has been associated with this profession.

The autumn afternoon wind carries the aroma of new rice along with the crackling sound of rice paper grilled on the charcoal stove of the "Vội" rice paper village, making the countryside scene more lively.

Currently, Voi village rice paper is not only supplied to the provincial market but also brought to some neighboring localities such as Hanoi and Hai Phong for consumption.

Not only grilled rice paper, the people of Voi village are also famous for wet rice paper. Mr. Tran Cong Chuan's family is the only household in the commune that still keeps this way of making rice paper. Wet rice paper is eaten with grilled meat, herbs, and dipped in a little fish sauce, creating a delicious flavor that is loved by many people. Unlike grilled rice paper, the ingredients for making wet rice paper need to be sticky rice.

Risk of extinction

The "Voi" rice paper village once had a "golden" period when bamboo trays of rice paper were dried everywhere in the communal house yard, house yard... Every house in the village made rice paper, bustling with traders coming in and out to buy.

"Vội" rice paper is famous far and wide for its moderate sweetness, crunchiness, and unique richness. However, up to now, the whole village of Voi only has 4 households still engaged in this profession, making the craftsmen worried.

“Today, few young people in Voi village are interested in handicrafts. Making cakes is hard work and the income is not high, so many young people in the village do not want to learn the craft. If this situation continues, our traditional craft village will disappear,” said Mr. Bao.

According to the People's Committee of Chi Minh Commune, the number of families still doing this job is not many, but thanks to the quality, grilled rice paper from Voi village still maintains its own brand in the market.

"Each rice paper, though rustic and simple, contains the affection and effort of the villagers. People want to pass on the craft to the next generation, so that the Voi rice paper craft village can continue to be preserved and developed," said Mr. Nguyen Tuan Anh, Chairman of the People's Committee of Chi Minh Commune.

Nowadays, there are countless gifts from popular to luxurious, but it seems that Banh Da Lang Voi is still a favorite hometown gift of many people, especially for those who live far away, they always come here to remember their roots, to remember their childhood memories.