Culinary highs of Muong ethnics in Hoa Binh province

The Muong ethnic people share the same origin as other minority groups living in what are today the northern mountainous provinces of Hoa Binh, Thanh Hoa and Phu Tho. Throughout their long history, the Muong people of Hoa Binh have determined their own way of living with and from nature. They have discovered abundant sources of food in their natural surroundings and learned various ways to prepare and cook dishes that meet tastes and nutritional requirements and, in some cases, prevent or cure ailments. The group has formed its own customs and traditions relating to food and dining. Visiting the Muong land from April to August, visitors have an opportunity to enjoy many unique dishes of the Muong ethnics. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Muong cuisine has a unique flavor because it is made from ingredients found in the forest and springs. The Muong Bi in Hoa Binh have traditional recipes for cook pigs, local vegetables, and terraced rice to bring out the special flavor of the forest. Steamed vegetables are a popular daily dish. Bui Thi Dien, a Muong ethnic, says Hoa Binh has a temperate mountain climate suitable for growing many kinds of vegetables. “We steam papaya leaves, cabbage, Chinese lettuce, and piper lolot together. We grow some kinds of vegetables in the fields and gather some wild vegetables in the forest. Chinese lettuce is bitter, and gives a special taste to Muong food.”

“Oc da” (mountain snail) is among the unique specialties in Hoa Binh province. The Muong ethnic have many tasty snail recipes, including steamed mountain snail, fried mountain snail, snails in lemongrass, among others. Other must-try dishes in the locality include charcoal-grilled pork wrapped in pomelo leaves, com lam (steamed rice in bamboo tube), buffalo and sour leaf soup, steamed wild vegetables dipped in fish intestine sauce, and baked fish. With customs depending very much on nature, various types of leaves are used in every meal of the Muong in Hoa Binh. Grilled pork wrapped in pomelo leaves is one of the more common dishes. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Hoa Binh province spices up its spectacular vistas with some unique culinary delights. Besides steamed mountain snail in lemongrass, sticky rice steamed in a bamboo tube is a dish typical of the Muong, combining the fragrance of the sticky rice, grown on terraced rice fields, and the sweetness of the bamboo. The rice should be freshly harvested, and flavoursome. It is washed and soaked in water for five or six hours, then drained in a basket before being stuffed in bamboo tubes. Water is then poured down the tubes to immerse the rice. The tubes are then covered with a banana leaf, before being baked over charcoal. It should be turned over and over to avoid burning the rice. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Visitors must try purple sticky rice when coming to the Muong land of Hoa Binh province. This eye-catching and delicious sticky rice dish requires time and meticulousness. The cook dyes the rice with khau cam, a leafy plant that can only be found in the mountains. The leaves are boiled for more than one hour, turning the water purple. The rice will then be soaked in this water for about 8-10 hours. When the rice has changed color, the cook can now cook it. The rice can be served with salt or pork. The Muong ethnics have discovered abundant sources of food in their natural surroundings and learned various ways to prepare and cook dishes that meet tastes and nutritional requirements and, in some cases, prevent or cure ailments. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Besides the purple sticky rice, sticky rice steamed in a bamboo tube is a dish typical of the Muong, combining the fragrance of the sticky rice, grown on terraced rice fields, and the sweetness of the bamboo. The rice should be freshly harvested, and flavoursome. It is washed and soaked in water for five or six hours, then drained in a basket before being stuffed in bamboo tubes. Water is then poured down the tubes to immerse the rice. The tubes are then covered with a banana leaf, before being baked over charcoal. It should be turned over and over to avoid burning the rice. When steam starts to come out of the tubes and the fragrance of the rice fills the air, it’s time to eat. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Steamed fish is a standout dish of the Muong ethnic as well. Fresh fish caught from streams is yet another local delicacy. Fish the size of two fingers are marinated before being baked on charcoal. Served hot, the dish highlights the sweet taste of the fish and can be dipped in fish sauce and chilli. The Muong people grow various types of vegetables with leaves suitable for steaming. All ingredients are cleaned before being cut into small pieces and steamed in a wooden steamer. The vegetables should be a mix of bitter, sweet, and tart, and retain their original flavour and colour after steaming. Those that are bitter or tart can prevent the flu and enhance the body’s resistance. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Boasting fertilised land, Muong ethnic people in Hoa Binh province plant tea, with the most popular one being shan tuyet. According to local people, the fresh buds still retain their natural scent, plumness, sheen and an outer layer of whitish fuzz after these are manually processed, so they are called shan tuyet. For ages, they have viewed the ancient tea as a rare, valuable, and healthy herb, with a liquid as yellow as forest honey instead of green, like other tea brands. The smooth blend of all of its elements makes the brew one of the finest natural drinks in the country. (Photo: VietnamPlus).

The Muong’s costume is special. The Muong women wear a long, black dress and a white or brown shirt with a line of buttons in the front and long sleeves. They wind a white or indigo headscarf around their head. The highlights of the Muong costume are embroidery on the dress hem and belt. It requires skill and artistic talent to design the patterns and harmonize the colors of the costume. Meanwhile, men often wear a round-neck shirt which opens in the front and has two pockets. Their pants have large trouser legs. On special occasions, the Muong men wear a purple or yellow silk shirt inside a long, white ceremonial robe. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

The Muong ethnics hold a treasure of traditional art and culture, including Mo Muong, ancient story, and folk songs. Of them, Mo Muong, the Muong folk encyclopedia that has been orally handed down through many generations, contains educational values for the community. However, this intangible cultural heritage is in danger of going extinct due to the impact of industrialisation and globalisation. In Hoa Binh, the number of “thay mo” in villages has decreased. Statistics of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism showed that the province has 190 artisans, many of them very old. Since 2010, Hoa Binh has put forth specific solutions to preserve the culture. (Photo: VietnamPlus)

Mo Muong is a unique cultural heritage of the Muong ethnic group in the northwestern province of Hoa Binh. It is a job and also a performance practiced at funerals, religious festivals, and life cycle rituals by the Muong ethnic group. The art consists of Mo prayers and performances, by Mo practitioners, or Mo artisans. Through generations, Mo prayers have been passed down verbally in the community. When they’re collected, translated, and published in books, however, they begin to exist separately from people. These days, most Mo prayers are called Mo Muong. They are a collection of verses recited at traditional Muong funerals. They are divided into "cat Mo” and "roong Mo”, similar to chapters in literature. (Photo: VietnamPlus)