Recalling the childhood, there were many times expecting her mother to come home from the market. The age that easily cried at that time was also very strange, just hearing the sound of the bicycles coming home from the market and seeing the mother’s mother’s bunch of Cooc Co cakes would laugh at once.
What is more interesting than being held in hand with such a small and pretty little cake and running to show off to the neighbors in the neighborhood …
It was Cooc Mò, a strange sounding name. The cakes are lovely, fancy but hidden deep inside are the quintessence of traditional culinary culture of a part of ethnic minorities in the northern mountainous region – the Tay, Nung … Sticking with the childhood of many children here, and then enduring until today. The small and pretty cakes are very popular with the kids Coming to Chiem Hoa, Tuyen Quang, the people here are no stranger to this cake. According to the people here, Cooc Mo in Tay language means cow horn (Cooc is horn, Mo is cow) is simply a cake with a spike like a cow’s horn. Simple as that, but once you try it, you will definitely remember forever by the rich and fragrant flavor of sticky rice and green beans or red peanuts. To get the fragrant and fragrant cakes is a whole process of wrapping people. From the process of selecting rice, choosing the seeds and leaves to wrap the cake to the way of arranging the leaves and tying the cake. Cooc Co cake is wrapped in dong or banana leaf. The people here choose green leaves that are not torn or damaged. Leaves are taken and washed, drained. Next is the process that requires the baker’s meticulousness that is splitting and making wrapping wire. The cake package is split from a Giang or Mo tree. These plants are soft, chewy and unbroken. The satisfactory grade is to be evenly small and soft so that the leaves do not tear when the package is cut. But today many people replace the split cloth with ropes for more convenience. Rice to make cakes must be fragrant glutinous glutinous rice, the seeds are milky and round. When ripe, there is a certain plasticity that is neither too sticky nor dry. After careful selection, the sticky rice is rinsed with water several times until the water is clear. Continue soaking the rice for many hours until the rice is soft. Rice meets standards, when lightly squeezed, the rice kernels will break apart. At that time, the baker will pick up the rice to drain it, then mix it with crushed green beans (or red peanuts) and add a little salt to taste. Wanting to make lovely and delicious cakes, in addition to choosing ingredients, also requires the ingenuity and meticulousness of the mothers in wrapping the cake. The process of wrapping the cake not only determines the aesthetics of the cake, but the way of wrapping it also affects the “deliciousness” of this cake. The green leaves are rolled up like a funnel, then pour the mixed rice and beans inside, gently pat the outside to let the rice down evenly or use a small chopstick to compress the rice, then fold the edge of the leaves and use plain Interlink. The hands deftly fold the leaves like artisans perfecting their artworks. Only when witnessing with their own eyes, people can see admiration for human creativity and even more delight in their hand movements. The leaves are folded into a funnel shape, and the baker will slowly pour the rice and pat it until the rice is tight enough The quality of the wrapped cake is when there are neat corners, the leaves are wrapped tightly and tied tightly enough. Ms. Ma Thi Dung, a Tay ethnic minority in Ban Rua, Chiem Hoa, Tuyen Quang shared: “The way of wrapping this cake is quite special, and not everyone can pack it well, must be skillful people. For those who are new to wrapping, they may have to fumble about a dozen cakes before they can wrap them up. According to her, the experience of making Cooc Mo cake is that when tying the cake, it should not be tied too tightly, it will make the leaves tear, the rice grain cannot bloom, it is easy to be embarrassed and not flexible. If forced loosely, the cake is absorbed much water, it is easy to be sticky and not delicious. After wrapping, the cake is soaked in cold water until the water surface does not appear, then the cake has absorbed enough water, so it will cook quickly and evenly. After finishing wrapping, the cake will be threaded into pairs or small bunches, put in a pot to boil for about two hours and the cake is cooked. Cooc Mo cake, when ripe, has the light green color of the banana leaves, the soft taste, the pure aroma of the high mountain fields. Finished wrapping, filled with water and boiled for about 2 hours Although the cake does not have a filling, the more you chew it, the more you can feel the aroma, fat, and flexibility hidden in each sticky grain. Depending on the taste of each person, the cake can be dipped with sesame salt or the sweet lover can eat the Cooc Mo cake with honey or the diameter is also very delicious. The cake comes with different kinds of dipping food depending on the preferences of each person The current Cooc Mo in Tuyen Quang has become an indispensable cake in the people’s life not only for children but also for adults. “In the past, on the occasion of the full moon festival in March, July, people used to pack this cake, nowadays, the family often packs Cooc Mo cake on a regular basis. Everyone likes to eat, so almost every house knows the package now. ” – Ms. Dung happily shared. Cooc Mo today is not only a folk food but has become a beautiful memory growing up with many childhoods. In the children’s memories here, cake is an invaluable gift that mothers often bring when shopping. This is a food used to celebrate the new rice, rewarding children in the area when obeying. During the day of the cradle, the Tay and Nung also use this specialty with the meaning of wishing the baby to grow up and be healthy. Not only famous in Tuyen Quang but in other localities such as Bac Kan, Lang Son, Thai Nguyen, Quang Ninh, … this cake is very “loved” by all diners. Although each region will have changes in taste, but Cooc Mo cake represents the culinary quintessence of Tay and Nung people all over the country. Enjoy the piece of cake, all of the local wind blends together to create a rustic, close flavor with a very distinctive mark of the mountainous people. Each childhood memory rushed back into the hearts of every child, especially with the expatriate children. Come to think of it, I feel “crave” to enjoy this wonderful cake.
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