Binh Dinh's famous rice paper village takes advantage of the sunny weather to light up the rice paper fire in time to serve Tet.

01/20/2025 | 09:12

TPO – Truong Cuu village, Nhon Loc commune, An Nhon town, located about 30km northwest of Quy Nhon city (Binh Dinh), is famous for its traditional rice paper making craft. The craft contributes to promoting traditional cultural values, while also helping to improve people's lives.

According to the people of Truong Cuu village, although rice paper making is hard work, there is work all year round, especially during Tet, when the consumption of rice paper is very high. Truong Cuu rice paper has always been made from fragrant sticky rice, which is popular with consumers. Photo: Truong Dinh

For many days now, Binh Dinh has been experiencing prolonged rain. The rice paper making village of Truong Cuu has also been interrupted. Mr. Nguyen Dinh Tan (64 years old) said that for more than a month he has not been able to open the oven to make rice paper. "This job is done all year round, working in the sun and stopping in the rain, but the weather has been gloomy lately so I don't dare to make rice paper. There are hundreds and thousands of rice paper, if it rains, how can we carry them in time?", he said. Photo: Truong Dinh

For the past two days, taking advantage of the forecast of no rain, Mr. Nguyen Van Quang, 64 years old, and his wife, Mrs. Ho Thi Bay, 62 years old, woke up early to light the stove to make rice cakes in time to sell for Tet. According to Mr. Quang, the amount of rice cakes consumed during this time increased 3-4 times compared to normal days.

Rice husks to burn in the rice paper making furnace. Photo: Truong Dinh

Like many other rice paper making villages in Binh Dinh, women in Truong Cuu play a major role. After more than 40 years of doing the job, Mrs. Bay's hands never rest. She said that making rice paper is not difficult, just do it and you will get used to it. The hardest part is spreading the dough, you have to spread it evenly, otherwise the rice paper will be thick in some places and thin in others.

To produce delicious batches of rice paper, the workers are busy with many steps. After soaking the rice in water, it is ground to mix with flour. When the oven is lit, the workers place a large pot of water with a cloth stretched over the mouth of the pot to make a mold. When the water boils, they use a small ladle to scoop the flour onto the cloth, spread a thin layer, then cover it...

The cake is steamed in the pot for a while, then the baker uses a bamboo splint or large chopsticks to scoop it out. Photo: Truong Dinh

Then, spread the cake on a bamboo tray and dry it. Photo: Truong Dinh

The cake is dried by the sun and wind. Depending on the weather conditions, this process can be fast or slow. Photo: Truong Dinh

According to local people, during Tet, the consumption of rice paper is very strong. Wherever rice paper is available, there are buyers. Truong Cuu rice paper has many types, such as sesame rice paper for grilling, dipped rice paper for rolling, etc., so the selling price is also different. Photo: Truong Dinh

Truong Cuu rice paper has long been made from fragrant sticky rice and is popular with consumers. On Tet holiday, rice paper is an indispensable dish for people in the Central region on the altar or on the dining table. Photo: Truong Dinh

After being dried, the rice paper is tied into bundles (stacks), usually each bundle contains about 20 rice paper pieces. Photo: Truong Dinh

Now, in addition to traditional rice paper made by hand, Truong Cuu village also has some households investing in machine production, the main products are square rice paper used for rolling, which are popular with many customers. Photo: Truong Dinh

Truong Dinh