The round cake is said to symbolise fullness and family reunion (Photo: VNA)Soc Trang (VNA) - The confluence of three ethnicities in theMekong Delta province of Soc Trang, that of the Kinh, the Hoa and the Khmer,makes it a great place to discover the beauty of different cultures and observedistinct customs.
The distinctive festivals, landmarks and other features alsoopen a door to the Mekong Delta province’s unique culinary specialtiesinfluenced by its cultural diversity.
For hundreds of years, the Pia cake (a cake filledwith durian, shredded lard, salted egg yolk and mung bean paste), originally ofthe Hoa people, has been served and given as gifts by Soc Trang residents.
The Pia cake is served on special occasions during theyear, including weddings and the Full Moon Festival. This round cake is seen asa symbol of fullness and family reunion.
The cake has a thin crust made of flour and a filling of durian,mung beans and taro with or without salted duck egg. The outer part can beuncovered layer by layer. As the cake is cut, the aroma of the filling isappetising.
It’s said that the Pia cake first appeared in Soc Trangin the 17th century when Hoa people migrated to the south of Vietnam. Over theyears, Pia cake was adjusted to match the taste buds of other peopleand it developed into a provincial specialty.
Traditionally, the Pia cake was made only for the FullMoon Festival and Tet (Lunar New Year). As with other such food items,the cake is now made and sold all year round. It has a shelf life of up totwo months, instead of a fortnight.
Residents of Soc Trang province traditionally made and served the pía cake during weddings and the Full Moon Festival. It is now available all year round (Photo: quehomemade.com)In order to make an attractive, tasty Pia cake, bakershave to exercise sophisticated skills at several stages.
To make the crust, they mix the flour with sugar and finely millthe mixture into very thin layers.
The filling of durian, mung bean, taro and salted duck egg, ordurian, steamed mung bean, taro and sugar is ground into fine paste and addedwith a bit of pork fat before being used to cover salted duck egg.
The baker then applies a layer of oil to the cake before puttingit in the oven at an average of about 270 degrees Celsius. After 5-7 minutes,it is turned over, and baked for another 10 minutes until it turns yellow.
The Soc Trang Pia cake is special because the aroma offresh durian is irreplaceable.
Soc Trang now has more than 50 Pia bakeries. Currently,with improved quality and promotion, many enterprises have started sellingtheir product not only in other areas of Vietnam, but also in foreign countrieslike the US and Cambodia.
Today’s Pia cake varies a lot from the traditionalversion. It fillings now include not only mung bean, taro, durian, salted egg,but also lotus seeds and pineapple. -VNA
VNA
