Thach Lam, a famous author wrote: “Green rice flake is a kind of cake which reminds us of many memories”. Nowadays, green rice flake cake has become one of Hanoi’s specialties. Hang Than Street is well known for its green rice flake cake.
According to legend, green rice flake cake was made like Chung cake. It contains sticky rice and green bean; however, its flavor is different from any kind because of the young glutinous, special green bean and shredded coconuts. The crust and stuffing are mixed with sugar making it difficult to distinguish which one is more delicious. Old Hanoians have invented many ways of making “com” (green rice), including varieties with lean meat, crushed, fried and served with Tam rice. “Com”, which is stir-fried with refined sugar, can be kept for a few weeks. “Che com” is a kind of dessert made with sugar, arrowroot flour and young green rice. Finally, To, a descendant of Nguyen Duy family, invented a way of drying “com” to make green rice flake cake, which is used on Tet holiday, in engagement ceremonies and on wedding days. Today, green rice flake cake often appears for engagements or on death anniversaries, in Hanoi. The groom’s family must bring 50 to a few hundreds green rice flake cakes to the bride’s family, who take turns to present their relatives with tea and sugar coated lotus seed.
The process of making green rice flake cake is meticulous. “Com”, used for making green rice flake cake, must be ripe and harvested at the right time. Otherwise, unripe “com” mixed with sugar will melt and cannot be used.
There are dozens of shops making and selling green rice flake cakes on Hang Than Street, whose names beginning with “Ninh”. According to many connoisseurs, Nguyen Ninh trademark is the oldest and most popular brand. Hang Than green rice flake cake is Hanoi’s specialty.
Foreign visitors to Hanoi enjoy this cake very much. Nguyen Ninh makes a few hundred of these cakes every day, most of them being pre-ordered. According to the family, making green rice flake cake is regarded as a way of keeping up their 5 generations’ old tradition, not a business. This work will go down in history with its sweetness and deliciousness.
In the fragrance of rice stubble, breeze and blue sky in October, it is great to enjoy green rice flake cake. Compared to other busy and modern streets, Hang Than, with its flavor of “com”, will always keep up the lasting beauty of Hanoi with its 1000-year history. Young glutinous rice and Hang Than green rice flake cake, Hanoi’s specialities, are widely loved.
