Unique “banh vat vai” cake of Cao Lan People
“banh vat vai” cake is quite strange to me, strange from form to name. Once I arrived in Luc Ngan (Bac Giang), I was fortunate to enjoy this unique dish of the Cao Lan ethnic group.
Cao Lao women are preparing to wrap “banh vat vai” cake |
On this day, Mr. Chung Van Thao (67 years old), the Dong Buoi also full of all the above, the lower hamlet for the heaven and earth, hoping for good luck for the village and homeowners. He said: Usually one year, the Cao Lan make “banh vat vai” cake twice (Lunar New Year and 3 - 3 lunar calendar). In addition to worshiping ancestors, “banh vat vai” cakeis also a gift. Cake is made with two separate parts at the two ends, wrapped in the middle so can be squeezed on the shoulder to bring a family or bring to the field..
“banh vat vai” cake |
To make the delicious “banh vat vai” cake, it is necessary to perform many steps: small grated rice with stone grater; wormwood is mixed with boiled lime water for releasing the bitterness, then mashed with flour mixture. The cake shaping step is quite simple, how to make the round tablets then the cake of sugar, green beans in the middle. Use fresh banana leaves grilled over the charcoal to pack the cake. Finished, the cake is boiled about two hours, removed to drain the water for use
A satisfying cake must ensure both the form and taste, the green of the banana leaf, the aroma of green beans, the wormwood, the sweetness of the sugar ... For long, “banh vat vai” cakehas been considered an unique dish of ethnic Cao Lan.