Enjoy Phu Thuong sticky rice, the quintessence of Hanoi cuisine

1 Introducing Phu Thuong sticky rice

Phu Thuong sticky rice has long been famous not only in Hanoi but also across the country. Phu Thuong is a traditional craft village in Tay Ho district, famous for its fragrant and attractive sticky rice dishes made from traditional ingredients such as yellow flower sticky rice, green beans, peanuts and many other spices. . For hundreds of years, every early morning, many Hanoians have stood in front of the gate waiting to buy a package of hot, fragrant banana-leaf sticky rice for breakfast.

The specialness of Phu Thuong sticky rice lies not only in the taste but also in each processing process, from choosing ingredients, steaming the sticky rice to wrapping it in each green banana leaf. Therefore, when you have the opportunity to travel to Hanoi, Phu Thuong sticky rice is one of the specialties that you definitely cannot miss.

2 Origin of Phu Thuong sticky rice

Our ancestors from ancient times had a song that said: “Ga village has a banyan tree root/There is a cool river to bathe in, and there is a profession of cooking sticky rice.” The ancient Ga village, now Phu Thuong village, has had the profession of blowing sticky rice since when no one knows. Thanks to the cool water of Nhi Ha river and fertile alluvium, Ga village in the past had rich and fertile rice fields. Every time the rice season is ripe, the fragrance permeates the dike slopes along the Red River… From those fertile fields, people here have grown two premium types of rice: yellow flower sticky rice and acacia mulberry sticky rice. sticky rice. To this day, sticky rice has become the livelihood of many households in Phu Thuong.

This sticky rice dish is special in that not everyone can cook it well. To make a delicious pot of Phu Thuong sticky rice, the cook must be highly skilled, know how to monitor the temperature when steaming and especially have the skill to mix the ingredients well so that the flavor penetrates into each grain of sticky rice. This has helped Phu Thuong sticky rice become famous and not be confused with any other sticky rice dishes.

3 Ingredients for making Phu Thuong sticky rice

According to the travel guide Vietnamtravelio, the main ingredients to make Phu Thuong sticky rice include:

– Yellow flower sticky rice: This type of rice is famous for its stickiness and unique aroma. This is the main ingredient that determines the quality of sticky rice. Rice is soaked in water for about 6 – 8 hours before steaming to achieve perfect softness.

– Green beans, black beans, peanuts: For each type of sticky rice, the cook will need to prepare additional beans or peanuts to mix well with the sticky rice.

– Grated coconut: For sweet sticky rice dishes, grated coconut is used to create a greasy taste, adding an attractive flavor.

– Sesame salt: For peanut sticky rice or green bean sticky rice, sesame salt is an indispensable side dish, creating harmony in flavor.

4 How to prepare Phu Thuong sticky rice

To prepare for cooking Phu Thuong sticky rice, the ingredients need to be prepared the previous afternoon. From washing the wrapping leaves, soaking the beans to washing the rice, everything must be completed meticulously. The selected sticky rice must be high quality yellow flower sticky rice. Beans and peanuts also need to be selected carefully, removing any beans that show signs of spoilage.

After washing thoroughly, the rice will be soaked for about 3 hours so that the water is clear and the rice swells evenly. After this preparation process, the official step of cooking sticky rice begins. When the sticky rice is cooked, the person cooking the sticky rice will use chopsticks to stir it evenly, help the steam escape, and let the sticky rice rest for a few hours before spraying water and squeezing it evenly to keep it soft and pliable.

Early the next morning, the workers woke up again and continued to cook sticky rice a second time before sorting it and selling it all over Hanoi. The jingling sound of pots and pans resounds from before dawn and the scent of freshly prepared sticky rice spreads throughout the small alleys from 2 to 3 am.

To create a quality batch of sticky rice that is not only delicious but also eye-catching, using sticky rice wrapping leaves is an extremely important factor. According to sticky rice makers in Phu Thuong, families in the village often choose the right type of leaves to wrap, helping to keep the sticky rice soft and moist. Thanks to that, whether guests enjoy it in the morning or leave it until noon, the sticky rice still retains its inherent fragrant elasticity.

In Phu Thuong, most people are proficient in preparing sticky rice. The craft of making sticky rice is passed down from generation to generation, creating a long-standing cultural flow. Currently, the village has three artisans and about 600 families still maintain this profession, bringing sticky rice everywhere in Hanoi. Carrying sticky rice not only helps families in Phu Thuong village overcome difficult times, but now also helps them develop economically, turning sticky rice into a high-value commodity, bringing great benefits to all people. and locality.

5 Phu Thuong sticky rice – Heritage of Hanoi

Phu Thuong sticky rice is not only famous in daily life but also participates in important national events. Artisan Nguyen Thi Tuyen proudly shared: On December 30, 2016, Phu Thuong village was recognized by the Hanoi People’s Committee as a traditional sticky rice cooking village. In particular, in 2018, this sticky rice dish was honored to be among the 12 traditional dishes served at the Press Center during the US-North Korea Summit, attracting the attention of many international journalists. .

Not stopping there, in 2019, Phu Thuong Sticky Rice Traditional Craft Village continued to be granted a Certificate of trademark registration “Phu Thuong Sticky Rice” by the Department of Intellectual Property (Ministry of Science and Technology). In particular, this product has met the 4-star OCOP (One Commune One Product Program) standard of Hanoi city, affirming the quality and economic value that Phu Thuong sticky rice brings to the locality.

6 Notes when enjoying Phu Thuong sticky rice

– To enjoy Phu Thuong sticky rice, you can easily buy it anywhere in Hanoi. Sticky rice is sold in many stores and on the street. If you want to explore the process of cooking sticky rice and the tradition of Phu Thuong sticky rice, you should come to this village to have the opportunity to visit and experience.

– Phu Thuong sticky rice now has many different types, in addition to white sticky rice, there are also bean sticky rice, gac sticky rice, green rice sticky rice, black sticky rice… Sticky rice is often eaten plain instead of with toppings like the popular sticky rice sold today.

– You can buy Phu Thuong sticky rice as gifts for relatives and friends. However, you should only buy sticky rice in case of short trips or air travel. After that, you can store the sticky rice in the refrigerator and keep it hot when you eat it.

Phu Thuong sticky rice is a dish that not only has a rustic flavor but is also a symbol of Hanoi culinary culture. With simple ingredients and meticulous processing, this sticky rice dish has captivated many diners. If you have the opportunity to enjoy it, don’t forget to share with Vietnamtravelio travel guide what you think about this Hanoi specialty.