On the days before Tet, the atmosphere in Hùng Lô commune, Việt Trìcity heats up, literally. The streets around the community, located inthe northern province of Phú Thọ, fill with boiling pots of Chungglutinous rice cake.
All family members, from children to the elderly, hurry to make the delicious Tet mainstay in time for the festival.
Chưng cake is a traditional Vietnamese dish that is an integral partof the lunar New Year celebration. It is made from glutinous rice, porkand green bean paste, and then wrapped in a square of “dong” (arrowroot)leaves, which gives the rice a green tint after being boiled for tenhours.
Hung Lo may be the only commune in Phu Thothat still maintains the trade of Chung cake making all year round.However, on these festive days, the commune seems to be covered by thegreen colour of dong leaves and the white of rice.
The Hung Lo incarnation of the cake is famous for its taste, as localsvery carefully choose all of the ingredients. The cakes, once completed,will be delivered to markets, supermarkets and retailers across theprovince.
Nguyen Tien Duc, Chairman of the Hung Locommune People’s Committee, said Hung Lo commune has 1,900 households,30 percent of which earn their living due to traditional trades, such asvermicelli processing and Chung cake making.
Chungcake is believed to have been invented as long as 4,000 years ago.Legend has it that the 18 th Hung King could not decide on the trickymatter of his successor.
Finally, he decided thatwhichever of his sons invented the most delicious and symbolic new foodwould become the next ruler. And so, Prince Lang Liêu made round andsquare Day cakes, representing the Sky and square Chung cakessymbolising the Earth. These were decided by his father to be the bestcreation, and Lang Lieu overcame his brothers to take the throne.
Due to its quality, Hung Lo Chung cake is offered to Hung Kings duringthe temple festival dedicated to them in the third lunar monthevery year. The worship of Hung Kings was honoured by UNESCO as partof the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2012.
In the coming time, the cake will be chosen as a unique product andpromoted within the tourism sector. This move is expected to help HungLo enjoy rapid socio-economic development.-VNA
All family members, from children to the elderly, hurry to make the delicious Tet mainstay in time for the festival.
Chưng cake is a traditional Vietnamese dish that is an integral partof the lunar New Year celebration. It is made from glutinous rice, porkand green bean paste, and then wrapped in a square of “dong” (arrowroot)leaves, which gives the rice a green tint after being boiled for tenhours.
Hung Lo may be the only commune in Phu Thothat still maintains the trade of Chung cake making all year round.However, on these festive days, the commune seems to be covered by thegreen colour of dong leaves and the white of rice.
The Hung Lo incarnation of the cake is famous for its taste, as localsvery carefully choose all of the ingredients. The cakes, once completed,will be delivered to markets, supermarkets and retailers across theprovince.
Nguyen Tien Duc, Chairman of the Hung Locommune People’s Committee, said Hung Lo commune has 1,900 households,30 percent of which earn their living due to traditional trades, such asvermicelli processing and Chung cake making.
Chungcake is believed to have been invented as long as 4,000 years ago.Legend has it that the 18 th Hung King could not decide on the trickymatter of his successor.
Finally, he decided thatwhichever of his sons invented the most delicious and symbolic new foodwould become the next ruler. And so, Prince Lang Liêu made round andsquare Day cakes, representing the Sky and square Chung cakessymbolising the Earth. These were decided by his father to be the bestcreation, and Lang Lieu overcame his brothers to take the throne.
Due to its quality, Hung Lo Chung cake is offered to Hung Kings duringthe temple festival dedicated to them in the third lunar monthevery year. The worship of Hung Kings was honoured by UNESCO as partof the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in December 2012.
In the coming time, the cake will be chosen as a unique product andpromoted within the tourism sector. This move is expected to help HungLo enjoy rapid socio-economic development.-VNA
