Illustrative image (Source: http://english.vietnamnet.vn/) Can Tho (VNS/VNA) — Take a trip 40 kilometres outside theMekong Delta city of Can Tho and you’ll notice panels of rice papers drying inthe sun on rattan racks lining the roads in Thot Not district’s Thuan Hung ward.
Home to the Thuan Hung rice paper village, the ward has around 50 professionalrice paper businesses.
No one knows when the rice paper making began here, but households in the areasay they have been making the item for around 200 years, a craft passed downfrom generation to generation.
Since demand has always been steady for their products in this part of thecountry, villagers would often start the day at 2am, finish work at 4pm, anddon’t go to bed until around 8pm. During peak season, which starts three monthsbefore Tet, they may even have to stay up all night.
At times, demand could soar so high the workers can barely keep up withproduction schedules and have to turn down new customers.
The village households specialise in making different kinds of flavoured ricepaper: plain, salted, sweetened and coconut, all of which can be used to wrapspring rolls, dip in water, grill, or eat raw.
A sheet of coconut rice paper being rolled and taken off the griddle (Photo: VNA)Plain rice paper is especially popular during Tet (Lunar New Year)holiday, as it is used as offerings to ancestors and as treats for guests.
“We only use rice, clean river water, and other ingredients like salt or sugar.Strictly no preservatives or chemicals, only natural ingredients,” said NguyenHuu Nghia, who has owned his rice paper business for 30 years.
Despite the simple recipe, making good rice paper is a demanding skill andrequires precision in selecting the right kind of rice as well as finesse incooking and handling the rice paper.
First, rice is soaked in river water and then ground. The cook then pours andspreads the batter into a circular shape onto a piping hot griddle which sitson top of a pot of steaming, boiling hot water. The batter is covered with arattan “hat”, which helps to trap the heat and cook the paper in less than 10 seconds.
Since the freshly cooked rice papers are extremely fragile, the cook has togently remove the paper with a cylindrical bamboo roll wrapped in cloth andtransfer it to a cooling rack.
Freshly cooked rice papers normally take around half an hour to dry if underbright sunlight, or a few hours otherwise. Most households have to stop workingwhen it rains.
Quality rice paper is expected to be smooth and crispy, with a satisfyingcrunch when bitten, yet soft and chewy when dipped in water.
The businesses also provide jobs for the village, since most households needextra workers to cope with demand. On average, workers make 70,000 - 120,000 VND(3 – 5 USD) per day.
Two households invested in rice paper factories with automated machinery andproduction lines to great success, but others are hesitant about bringing intechnology.
Dried rice paper is ready for packaging (Photo: VNA)A typical household can make around 32 kilos of rice paper per day. Eachhousehold can make from 200,000 to 700,000 VND per day, depending on their output.
About 60 percent of the rice paper businesses operate on a daily basis, whilethe rest only work during the peak season to pursue better-paying jobs the restof the year.
Rice paper making is a tiring and time-consuming job that pays relativelypoorly, but the local villagers are determined to keep the traditional craftalive.
“Our family has been making rice paper for three generations now and ourdaughter is now making rice paper for a living,” said Ha Thi Sau, who has beenin the business for 30 years.
Little competition exists between the businesses even though many of them areclustered together and share tips with each other.
In 2008, Can Tho city recognised the village as a place of attraction deservingof value and preservation.
But, despite its rich history and popularity, Thuan Hung village is not afamous tourist attraction and only occasionally visited by people on their wayto other well-known places.
To create better awareness of its special product and tourism potential, thelocal authority is looking at plans to create a brand for Thuan Hung rice paperby 2019, according to the deputy chairman of Thuan Hung People’sCommittee. –VNA
VNA
