Khau sli – A specialty of Tay people in Bac Kan

“I have known how to make khau sli since I was young. In the past, life was hard and every family made their own khau sli to offer to ancestors on holidays and the New Year festival. This specialty is loved so much by children. It is also a gift to treat visitors to the family. In recent years, we have made khau sli for the market. Especially, on the occasion of the lunar New Year, local families are busier to make khau sli to meet the need of consumers. Making khau sli has brought stable income to many families,” said Hoang Thi Dieu.

Khau sli - a specialty of the Tay people

Khau sli is all hand-made, requiring a lot of experience, patience and meticulousness. Especially, each family often has their own secret in using ingredients and cooking to create the most delicious dish. Basic ingredients for making khau sli include glutinous rice, taro, liquor and dried tapioca.

Glutinous rice is the main ingredient. The stickier the rice is, the softer and more delicious the khau sli will be. Glutinous rice is soaked overnight, then drained to make steamed sticky rice. When cooked, a little water is added to the sticky rice to soften it. The sticky rice is then pounded for about 30 minutes. After a certain amount of liquor and raw taro powder is added to the rice, the mixture continues to be pounded for another half an hour. Then the mixture will be cooled and cut into small pieces about the size of a knuckle before being dried under the sun.

When enjoying the specialty, local people often fried khau sli pieces in cooking oil. The cooking process is very important. The cook must estimate and adjust the temperature accordingly so that the oil brings a moderate heat, making the khau sli pieces swell evenly. After being taken out, the pieces are mixed with cane sugar so that the sugar is evenly mixed and makes golden, fragrant, and crispy pieces.

Locals of Na Hin village making Khau sli

“Currently, there are many households in Na Hin village making khau sli for the market. In recent years, the products have been favored by a lot by consumers. I hope that the craft of khau sli making of the Tay people here will be preserved and developed further in the coming years,” said Head of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Na Hin village Hoang Thi Hien.

Translated by Quynh Thuong – Minh Hue