The custom of pounding sticky rice cake of the H'Mong people

The custom of making Banh Day of the H'Mong people in Son La is a traditional cultural feature with its own unique characteristics. Banh Day is not only used to worship ancestors, on holidays, weddings but also as a dish to entertain guests, as a gift for guests visiting the house.

To learn about this custom, we invite you to join author Do Thu Quyen to visit the H'Mong ethnic group in Son La to experience the process of making sticky rice cakes, through the photo series "The custom of pounding sticky rice cakes of the H'Mong people". The photo series was submitted by the author to the Photo and Video Contest "Happy Vietnam - Happy Vietnam" , organized by the Ministry of Information and Communications .

The people who pound the rice cakes are always strong and resilient Mong men. Each pounding session will have 2 people, when they get tired, they will switch to 2 other people to pound. The more carefully the pounding is done, the more flexible, delicious and long-lasting the rice cakes will be. The process of shaping the rice cakes requires the skillful hands of women.

The Mong people's sticky rice cake is made very elaborately, the main ingredient is fragrant and sticky upland sticky rice. Once you have chosen the rice you like, wash it, soak it in warm water for about 12 hours, then take it out to drain the water before putting it in the steamer. The steamer is made of wood so that when the sticky rice is cooked, it will not lose the aroma of the upland sticky rice, and it will be sticky but not broken.

The Mong people believe that two round sticky rice cakes symbolize the moon and the sun, the origin of humans and all living things. The thoughts, wishes and desires of children and grandchildren in the new year will be sent to the round sticky rice cake and offered to their ancestors. The sticky rice cake is also a symbol of love and loyalty of Mong men and women.

When the sticky rice is pounded, the women skillfully mold it into beautiful, round cakes like the moon and the sun, as legend has it. For the Mong people, Banh Day is not only a familiar dish but it also holds a special place in their spiritual life. When offering Banh Day to their ancestors, they must offer 2 cakes. The difference of the Banh Day offering is that it has no filling inside and no spices.

Banh day is not only a dish to entertain guests but also a gift for visitors. Even after a long time, the cake is still soft and fragrant. When eaten, it is usually grilled over hot coals or cut into small pieces and fried in lard until it puffs up, creating an attractive aroma./.

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