Sweetness of spring

The Hoa ethnic minority group is one of the 19 ethnic minority groups in Dien Bien province having typical cultural features preserved from generation to generation.

The Hoa is among the 19 ethnic minority groups in Dien Bien province. For them, the puffed rice cakes (also called as rice flower cakes) are a traditional cake that is indispensable in the offerings to ancestors or to distinguished guests.

The rice flower cake is part of the Hoa group’s traditional culture, handmade from available ingredients. The rice flower cake is crispy and greasy, creating a unique flavor.

During festivals, including the lunar New Year (Tet), the Hoa people treat guests to rice flower cakes with tea. Children often hold rice flower cakes, chew candy, and play in front of houses and on alleys. For the Hoa ethnic group, ‘rice flower’ cakes are an inseparable part of their cultural life.

The People’s Army Newspaper Online would like to introduce several photos of the making of such a rice flower cake of the Hoa ethnic minority people in Dien Bien province.

During festivals, including the lunar New Year, the Hoa people busily prepare rice flower cakes and rice malt.

Basically, the rice flower cake is like the puffed rice cake. The first step is making malt. The rice is soaked in water and incubated to germinate. When the rice sprouts are about 5cm long, they are dried and pounded into powder.

Popped rice making

Sieving to get the popped rice

Mixing the rice powder with smoothly-simmered cornstarch

Malt added to make rice flower cakes

Shaping and pressing the cake

Making malt candy

Tasting the rice flower cake with tea and malt candy

Translated by Chung Anh