It is unknown that since ever, chung cake and giay cake have become indispensable in the life of Hanoians, at Tet holidays or any occasions. Especially, Quan Ganh has entered the “cuisine dictionary” of Vietnam with unique and famous giay cake (round sticky rice cake) expressing the concept of the universe, human life of the ancient.
The legend of the cake in a long history
Legend has it that the king of the sixth Hung King would like to find his successor and talked to princes that at the end of that year, he would give the throne to the prince who pleased him with presents expressing the filial piety.
The princes tried to find the delicious and rare strange things everywhere. Only the 18th prince – Lang Lieu, because his mother died early, did not know what he should gift his father.
One night, Lieu Lang dreamed of a god, the god said: “There is nothing in the earth precious as rice because rice is indispensable food for human beings. Make the square and round cakes to represent Heaven and Earth. Cover the cakes with leaves to represent the heart of the mother and father. “
The two kinds of cakes satisfied Hung King and he decided to transfer the throne to Lang Lieu, at the same time, named the round cake symbolizing the heaven as giay cake the square cake representing the earth as chung cake.
Giay cake symbolizes Heaven, circle, small and neat in the palm. There are two pieces of green leaves cut round covering at the top and bottom. In ancient Vietnam, giay cakes are used as pure gifts to God and the Spirit.
Traditional cake
Giay cake Quan Ganh is a hanoi traditional food of the land of Ha Tay (Hanoi now). Renowned for a long time, in the village of Quan Ganh, from the early morning, people on food walking tour can hear the sound of the vibrant pestling.
Quan Ganh village in Thuong Tin district, Ha Tay province which is now Ha Noi. For hundreds of years, the village’s giay cake has always been considered as a folk delicacy of Vietnamese cuisine.
Skillful hands
Giay cake of Quan Ganh village has the sweet taste of sticky rice, the green of banana leaves, the aroma of green beans, the meat is mixed with other spices that only is at Quan Ganh.
The first decisive part to make the delicious cake is the selection of sticky rice. Sticky rice must be fragrant white sticky rice from Hai Hau area (Nam Dinh), soaked and steamed. Then sticky rice will be pestled to make a fragrant sticky cake. The cake covering a piece of lean pork paste spreads the scent of sticky rice and sweet taste of lean pork paste with banana leaf fragrance.
The people who pestle rice must have strong hands to make the rice is smooth and sticky. Every morning, the sound of pestling rice has become familiar with the people of Quan Ganh village. Giay cake has many types. In additions to vegetarian cakes, there are sweet and salty cakes. Sweet cakes have green beans stir-fried with sugar. Many people like to eat salty cakes with green beans, some less bacon, coconut, and pepper. Each type of cake has its own flavor.
Giay Cake wrapped with fresh dong leaves will be more beautiful than with banana leaves. When you open the cake, the outside is the green leaves and the inside is the pure white of the giay cake. It is very eye-catching for tourist on Hanoi street food tour.
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