Green rice flake cake- Hanoi’s speciality – Food – Travel

Green rice flake cake- Hanoi’s speciality – Food – Travel

Hanoi Times – When it comes to the names of old streets in Hanoi, Hang Than Street cannot be missed. Hang Than is a small street with a lot of green rice flake cake shops.

Thach Lam, a famous author wrote: “Green rice flake is a kind of cake which reminds us of many memories”. Nowadays, green rice flake cake, which bears a traditional feature, has become o­ne of Hanoi’s specialities. Hang Than Street is well-known for its green rice flake cake.

According to a legend, green rice flake cake was made like Chung cake. It also contains sticky rice, green bean; however, its flavor is different from any kind because of the young glutinous, special green bean and shredded coconuts. The crust and stuffing are mixed with sugar; therefore, it is difficult to distinguish which o­ne is more delicious. Old Hanoians invented many ways of making “com” (green rice), such as the o­ne cooked with lean meat, crushed, fried and served with Tam rice. “Com”, which is stir-fried with refined sugar, is called the stir-fried o­ne and can be kept for a few weeks. “Che com” is a kind of dessert made with sugar, arrowroot flour and young green rice. Finally, Mr. To, a descendant of Nguyen Duy family invented a way of drying “com” to make green rice flake cake, which is used o­n Tet holiday, in propose ceremony and o­n wedding day. Today, green rice flake cake often appears in propose marriage or o­n death anniversary in Hanoi, which makes a tray more opulent. The groom’s family must bring from 50 to a few hundreds of green rice flake cakes to the bride’s o­ne, who takes turn to present their relatives with tea and sugar coated lotus seed.

The process of making green rice flake cake is meticulous. “Com” used for making green rice flake cake must be ripe and harvested at the right time. Otherwise, unripe “com” mixed with sugar will be melted and cannot be used.

There are dozens of shops making and selling green rice flake cakes o­n Hang Than Street, whose names beginning with “Ninh” letter. According to many connoisseurs, Nguyen Ninh trademark is the oldest and most popular brand. Hang Than green rice flake cake is Hanoi’s speciality which attracts a lot of people. It is considered as a gift given to the relatives in France, Russia, England, Germany, Poland, Sweden, Cuba, Canada and the US.

Foreign visitors to Hanoi enjoy this cake very much. The amount of cakes made by Nguyen Ninh is a few hundreds every day, most of which is ordered. According to this family, making green rice flake cake is regarded as a way of keeping up their 5 generations’ tradition, not a business. This work will go down in history with its sweetness and deliciousness.

In the fragrance of rice stubble, breeze and blue sky in October, it is great to enjoy green rice flake cake. Compared to other busy and modern streets, Hang Than with its flavor of “com” will always keep up a lasting beauty of Hanoi with 1000-year history. Young glutinous rice and Hang Than green rice flake cake – Hanoi’s specialities – are widely loved and developed.

Green rice flake cake- Hanoi’s speciality – Food – Travel Related image(s)