History has it that since the 18th century, mung bean cookies have been a precious gift that locals offered to the King and officials.
Mung bean cookies brand name Ba Trinh has been traded for a long time and renowned in the locality.
There are not many steps in making the snack, but it requires deft skills to produce high quality mung bean cookies.
First, mung beans with shells being removed are boiled for one hour and then mashed up with sugar and salt.
The mixture is cooked slowly over a low heat for one hour and must be stirred the entire time. This part of the process dries the mixture and turns it into a bean powder. The next step is pressing this powder into a small metal cookie “printer”.
You’ll never guess what ingredient is mixed in with this little cookie, pork fat! This pre-cooked pork fat is mixed in to add an extra flavour and texture. If you’re vegetarian, there’s a version of this cookie without pork fat.
Made with ingredients taken from the fields, the Hoi An mung bean cookie has its own charm that carries the characteristics of the central coastal province of Quang Nam. The simple snack has become a specialty for visitors both at home and abroad, especially during lunar new year festival./.
