The combined model of cucumber production under the solar array of Mr. Chau Hon’s family brings a profit of 200,000 VND/day. Photo: Hong Diem Sustainable development model In 2018, the Green Innovation Development Center (GreenID) conducted research and put into practice a model combining agricultural production and solar power. According to GreenID, the model is designed according to the standards of rooftop solar power installed on construction sites, greenhouses planted under the guidance of Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) with a capacity of 45kwp installed on 400 square meter area. With a capital of over 900 million VND, the model will be completed and connected to the power grid in December 2020. To ensure plant efficiency, below the photovoltaic panels are designed at a distance of 1-2m. On average, the system produces 103kwh of electricity per day. In the first 3 months of 2021, 4,471kwh of electricity will be produced from this model (equivalent to 22 million VND). This is the first model with the participation of 3 parties (people, businesses and non-profit organizations). Accordingly, the enterprise will withdraw support capital in the first 10 years, then will hand over the entire system to GreenID and households participating in the model. After 20 years, the model will be handed over to households for management. The installation of solar panels above combined with growing vegetables and colors below not only creates additional income from selling electricity, but also makes the most of the arable land area, resolving conflicts in the use of resources. raw land. In fact, the crops grown underneath the electric panels have higher yields and better product quality. The model is expected to open up new directions for local agriculture. Truong Kien Tho, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of An Giang province, said that this is a model that brings dual benefits, when combining agricultural production with solar power, helping people have clean electricity. , develop local agricultural production, and bring stable income for farmers. Open up a new direction Realizing the economic benefits that the model brings, Mr. Chau Hon (40 years old), from An Hoa hamlet, Chau Lang commune, Tri Ton district, An Giang province boldly and the research team developed the model on the land of family. From the beginning of 2021 up to now, the research team has cooperated with the project team and Mr. Hon’s family to experiment with water spinach and cucumber plants to calculate the appropriate level of cover under the solar panels and compare. with growing plants outside. The results show that, grown according to the above model, both plants grow well and give higher yields than those grown outside. “The research results of the pilot model will be documented to share with stakeholders and promote the process of promulgating appropriate policies for the development of a combined model of agricultural production and solar power. God. We will survey and replicate the model in areas with suitable conditions in An Giang province,” said Mr. Truong Kien Tho. Mr. Chau Hon excitedly said: “Compared to growing outside, cucumbers are grown under shaded solar panels, with very few pests and diseases, the plants grow well, the fruit setting rate is high, the fruit is even and the fruit is uniform. beautiful, yield higher than growing cucumber outside about 30%. On average, every day, I sell about 30-40 kg for 6,000 VND/kg, I earn about 200,000 VND, much more leisurely than rice production. Ms. Pham Thi Nguyet, Vice Chairman of Chau Lang Commune People’s Committee said, Chau Lang is a mountainous commune with special difficulties with more than 62% of the population being Khmer, the poverty rate is still over 3.4%. People mainly depend on agricultural production. The development of agriculture in combination with solar power has initially helped farmers change their traditional farming practices and adapt to new farming techniques to create dual incomes on the same land area. This is a model that can help many farmers get out of poverty and become well-off. “However, the replication of the model faces many difficulties due to high investment costs, the arable land of many households in the commune is far from the national power transmission line, so at present, this model has only been implemented. experience with Mr. Chau Hon’s family. With the benefits that the model brings, hopefully in the near future, there will be policies to develop this model” – Ms. Nguyet pondered.

Ka Tum cake shell is knitted from young palm leaves The first time I knew about Ka Tum cake, I suddenly thought of the fairy tales that my mother used to tell me in the past. They always attract listeners right from the title. And so is the Ka Tum cake. Looking at me pinching my lips, pronouncing the name of the cake according to the tone of the language of the Khmer ethnic group, artisan Neang Phuong laughed and explained: “In Khmer, Ka Tum means pomegranate cake”. This is a sacred cake, conveying the desire for a full, affluent and full life. So only on traditional New Year days such as: Chol Chnam Thmay, Bonh Dolta, Bonh Oc-om-bok… do the Khmer people make this cake to offer to heaven and earth. And only O Lam land in Tri Ton district still makes this kind of cake, so Ka Tum becomes a “rare, hard to find” specialty in the land of An Giang jaggery. Ka Tum cakes are meticulously perfected by artisan Neang Phuong Having been taught the craft of wrapping by her mother since she was a girl, up to now, artisan Neang Phuong has been attached to the Ka tum cake of his people for 40 years. Is it because of that, that in the whole O Lam commune, no one has ever surpassed her reputation of skillful hands and good bakers. In the process of making a cake, the hardest part is making the crust, which is introduced by artisan Neang Phuong as creating a unique characteristic for Ka Tum cakes. Ka Tum cake shell is made from young jaggery leaves, cannot be made of old leaves because old leaves will be hard and hard to bend, no fragrance and green color is too dark and unsightly. The leaves after being picked up will be washed, then peeled off piece by piece and begin the process of knitting into a pomegranate shape, with flowers blooming on top. The ratio of the cakes must be the same, not the big ones, the small ones, if carelessly tied, the cake will not have its shape. So it can be said that this is the most difficult and time consuming stage. Artisan Neang Phuong who won the gold medal in the Southern Folk Cake Festival 2016 “Make this cake, every step is difficult. Peeling is already difficult and elaborate, when it comes time to put the filling, it becomes even more difficult. Even though it’s difficult to make, I still like this cake very much, because it’s beautiful, small and cute, “smiling artisan Neang Phuong. Although she is proficient and familiar with her hands, because of the small shape of the cake, the mouth of the shell is narrow, so it takes a long time to put the filling inside, so she can only make about 100 cakes a day. In the past, the Khmer people often made Ka Tum cakes with Chol Ho sticky rice, which had a very fragrant growing time of six months and even soaked the rice overnight. Now, everything “payroll” in the cake has been simplified more or less, you can use regular sticky rice combined with white beans, sugar, salt and coconut milk. After wrapping the cake, people boil it for a period of 30-45 minutes depending on how big or small the cake is. When the cake is cooked, take it out, blanch it in cold water, and let it dry. Artisan Neang Phuong fervently passed on Ka Tum cake making to the young generation of O Lam When completed, Ka Tum has a light yellow color, the cake inside is not sticky, the sticky rice is soft, smooth and fragrant mixed with fatty panther coconut milk, making visitors from far away fall in love. It is because of that wonderful taste that in the Southern Folk Cake Festival held in 2016, Ka Tum cake won the Gold medal. Realizing that traditional cultural values ​​are being cared for and promoted again, in recent years, artisan Neang Phuong has devoted himself to teaching the recipe and how to make Ka Tum cakes to the young generation of O Lam, contributing part of preserving the identity and culture of the Khmer nation.

The taste of noodle soup in Soc Trang is different from other places, because it is a harmonious combination of ingredients and the way of food preparation of local people. The essence of this dish is the broth – a soup made from a blend of fish sauce, lemongrass and wormwood noodles (a tuber similar to turmeric, but smaller and darker in color). The commonly used fish sauce are locally available ones such as: choke fish sauce, snakehead fish…; Particularly, Khmer people often cook with beef sauce… Also wormwood noodles, lemongrass are used to remove fishy smell and create a special fragrance for the broth. However, in order to be able to cook a pot of broth that is both delicious and fragrant, the kitchen often combines many types of fish sauce, including the Khmer’s specialty beef sauce and the local fish of the South in one cooking process. quite complicated. Fish sauce is processed separately, cooked and only filtered for clear water. Then, this broth is cooked with lemongrass and wormwood noodles for a period of time when the cook feels the flavor blend. Then, the cook adds coconut water to make the broth more sweet and clear. Using coconut water in soups is a familiar cooking method of the Kinh people in the Southwest region. As a result, the broth has its own flavor, aroma and clarity than vermicelli. The ingredients for the noodle soup are also processed quite elaborately, of which there are three main parts: boiled snakehead fish, meat removed, and bone removed; Boiled ground cloves with skin removed and roasted pork cut into pieces – a familiar dish of the Chinese. The crispy, greasy skin and the five flavors in the roast pork make the noodle soup more attractive. Besides, noodle soup is also served with a variety of vegetables such as bean sprouts, chives, grated morning glory, grated banana, herbs, laksa leaves to round out the flavor. When enjoying, diners can add a little lemon, chili, fish sauce for more flavor. It can be said that Soc Trang noodle soup is very easy to please gourmets. In Soc Trang, it is not difficult to find delicious noodle soup shops such as: Ca Dong, Cay Long, Thao – Phu Loi, Ms. Hanh, Mrs. Xim…

In the afternoon, run along Highway 53 to the southwest, stop at Ao Ba Om to buy some fried bananas and then enjoy the view while eating and you have a wonderful afternoon. The shop of fried bananas is located diagonally with the provincial cultural house swimming pool, the owner of the shop selling here is also quite long. Although it is just a small roadside stall, it is famous for the best fried bananas in Tra Vinh, so it is always crowded here. Photo: Ly Huynh The fried bananas here are delicious, the outside is crispy but not hard, the inside is soft, sweet and fragrant with ripe bananas. With only 4K, you’ve got a piece of hot fried banana in golden color dotted with some delicious black sesame dots. In addition to fried bananas, there are also cakes, breadfruit, and fried sweet potatoes that are equally attractive. There’s nothing better than eating some hot fried bananas, drinking a glass of cool sugarcane juice, and watching Square Pond. Fried bananas are very popular with customers, there are almost always customers waiting to buy from the time the owner delivers the goods until all the cakes are sold out. Tube cake, sieve cake, tofu with sugar water Tube cake is one of the famous snacks associated with the childhood of many western teenagers. Cake originated from the Khmer with round cylinder, eye-catching blue color and sweet aroma. The cake is soft, fragrant with the smell of pandan leaves, combining the sweetness of sugar, the greasy taste of coconut and roasted peanuts. You can easily find smoky street vendors baking tube cakes in many places in Tra Vinh such as Ao Ba Om, at the gates of schools, at markets… And just withdrawing about 10K from your wallet, you’re ready to go. I have a box of hot and delicious tube cakes right away. Photo: Vo To Quyen Sieve cake is also a dish of Khmer origin, because the cake has the aroma of pandan leaves when eaten, it is also called pineapple cake. The cake has an outer layer of roasted milled rice and a grated coconut filling. When eating, you will feel the scent of pandan leaves and the crispy crust while the filling is both sweet, fragrant with coconut, and fatty. If you have the opportunity to come to the West, just try it once, you can be sure that you will hardly forget this taste. If you want to enjoy this dish, you can find it in Tra Vinh market, where there is a load of super delicious sifted cakes and tube cakes and you will surely be “addicted” from the first try. For only 20K for 1 part of 4 delicious cakes, it’s hard to resist, but you have to work hard because she carries the goods to sell it on the go, so it will probably take you a little time to find it! Photo: Western delicacies Walking around on the streets of Tra Vinh, one of the familiar sounds is the cry “Who’s tofu with sugar water!”. Tofu with sugar water is a familiar dish. The warm, soft, smooth cup of tofu, hot and sweet sugar water and greasy coconut milk have captivated taste buds for generations. Along the shady tree-lined roads, you will be attracted by the sound, the smoky village and the sweet scent of the tofu trucks. With only about 20K in return, why not buy a cup of tofu to warm up an empty stomach. On cold rainy days, eating a cup of hot tofu is more than wonderful. Photo: Ly Huynh Baked sticky rice Bon bon on Le Loi street, near the night market, opposite the cathedral, there is a small car of grilled sticky rice that starts selling from early afternoon to late afternoon. Bananas are wrapped inside a layer of sticky rice, wrapped in a layer of banana leaves and then baked in a charcoal oven. Because it is grilled to the edge, the outer shell is crispy but still retains the softness of the sticky rice. Inside is a soft ripe banana that is both sweet and fleshy combined with greasy coconut milk and fragrant roasted peanuts sprinkled on top. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. The grilled banana car has appeared here for many years, almost no one in Tra Vinh is unaware of this grilled banana car. You only need to spend less than 10K, you will have a delicious, sweet, sticky sticky rice banana. Not only grilled sticky rice, she also sells grilled sticky rice for those who want to eat more sticky rice or just like to eat the shell, she is also very “proud” when you ask for more coconut milk. Photo: Tri Dung Tra Vinh market cake Photo: My house Tra Vinh Going into the heart of Tra Vinh market, you will see that there is a cake stall, although it is small, it is quite crowded. Banh Lot is a snack originating from Indonesia that was introduced to Vietnam and became a popular dish of the Southwest region. This is a kind of cold tea, can be used to quench thirst every summer afternoon. The cake is usually made with green color from pandan leaves, very fragrant and eye-catching. The cake is cut to medium length, soft, chewy, and eaten with sweet sugar water and fatty leopard coconut milk, appealing to both the elderly and children. The owner has been selling here for a long time, so many people know that she sells well and come to support. With only less than 10K for a cup of sweet and delicious sweet and savory pancakes on a sunny afternoon, why not give it a try? In addition to cake, there are many other dishes such as pomegranate seeds, jelly, é seeds, … for you to choose from.

1. Located at 53 Ton Duc Thang, Soc Trang City, Soc Trang Province, Kh’Leang Pagoda is one of the Khmer pagodas with a long history and the most beautiful architecture in the South. The pagoda was built in 1533, at first it was just a pagoda with thatched roofs. The current architecture dates back to the late 1910s restoration. The pagoda has a campus of 3,825m2, the central work is the main hall divided into three ground steps, each step is about 1 meter high, surrounded by fences, forming internal courtyards. The top floor is where the shrine is located. The entire main block of Kh’Leang pagoda is built by 60 pillars, divided into 6 rows. Inside the main hall, the altar and the place to place the statues are in the two innermost compartments. The centerpiece is a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha meditating on a high pedestal, decorated with many layers of lotus and fire patterns. In addition to the main hall, on the premises of Kh’Leang pagoda, there are other auxiliary structures such as Sala (meeting house), houses of monks, guest houses… With great values ​​of history and architecture The architecture and pagoda have been recognized as a national historical and cultural relic of Vietnam. 2. Located on Van Ngoc Chinh Street in Soc Trang City, Soc Trang Province, Bat Pagoda (also known as Ma Toc Pagoda or Mahatup Pagoda) was started construction in 1569. Since then, the pagoda has been restored many times. , the last major restoration in 2009. This temple has ancient Khmer architecture with the main hall built of bricks, tiled roof, four curved roofs carved with Naga snakes, on top of the roof there is a pointed tower. In the main hall there is a monolithic statue of Shakyamuni Buddha placed on a lotus about 2 meters high and a statue depicting the Buddha riding on the god Muchalinda snake. Outside the main hall of the temple are other buildings such as the sala house, the monk room, the relics tower.. located in the green campus shady with ancient trees, the space is cool and pure. In particular, the temple garden has a lot of bats and crows to live in. This is the origin of the name Bat Pagoda. 3. Located in Dai Tam commune, My Xuyen district, Soc Trang province, Chen Kieu pagoda or Sa Lon pagoda is one of the most unique pagodas in Vietnam. This is a temple of Khmer people, whose original name is Wat Sro Loun or Wat Chro Luong. Over time this name became Salon. The pagoda was first built in 1815 with leaves. In 1969, the pagoda was rebuilt. During the construction process, due to the lack of funds to buy enough decorative ceramic tiles, the monks came up with the initiative to donate broken cups and plates from Buddhist relatives in Phum and squirrels for wall cladding. The pagoda has mobilized Buddhists to donate tons of cups and plates for decoration. Intact cups and plates are left on the wall by the monks, while broken cups and plates are broken down to form floating patterns on the wall. With skill and meticulousness, Khmer artisans have created an extremely unique artistic architecture. Since then, the pagoda is also known by the people by the second name, Chen Kieu Pagoda. Invite readers to watch the video: Charming Non Nuoc Tam Chuc Pagoda | VTV24.

Like the hierarchy in a certain definition, fish sauce is a dish reserved for the class that still has many difficulties to survive. But I dimly realized that the fish house society still has its own rules and voices. The snakehead fish sauce is cooked with pork fat, sugar + monosodium glutamate + ground pepper, dipped with boiled okra or cucumber, or eaten with purple potato soup cooked with shrimp or minced meat only for the wealthy. The pot of braised fish sauce is even more remote because it is expensive when it comes to bacon, snakehead fish and silver shrimp, … I choose friends with a cup of fish sauce very early. My mother told me to buy a tamarind from her sister’s 5 Pieces, go back and eat with cold rice. Selling sour tamarind to Saigon with lots of zinc, needing to be tall, sister 5 is young but likes to eat betel nut. She’s so cute, she never takes money and keeps telling me to eat as much as I can. Mam ruoc is no longer lonely when choking fish comes to share joy and sorrow. My mother and I often sit and tear fish sauce and eat it raw with herbs, banana chips + star fruit and cold rice. Asking the elders in the West, I received the answer: the West knows how to make fish sauce from Indonesia and snakehead fish sauce is suggested by Khmer people. 2. Lost in the youth in Can Tho for 5 years and 11 months, I know Tay Do is very famous for hot pot with fish sauce, but I have never tried it, because the dish with a lot of money is only for receiving precious guests. Time has passed, it has also been windy and rainy and we know each other a lot, in my eyes, the South is the path of fish sauce and islet pot (hot pot), like a familiar saying from friends: If you don’t eat fish sauce, you are not a local West!. In my young years, I still don’t have a satisfactory answer when Chau Doc – An Giang and Ca Mau are always affectionately called “the kingdom or land of fish sauce”, but Can Tho is resounding with fish sauce hotpot. Asking the elders in the West, I received the answer: the West knows how to make fish sauce from Indonesia and snakehead fish sauce is suggested by Khmer people. Borrowing the method of making beef sauce from snakehead fish in the Ho Sea, Can Tho is the economic center of the Southern Continent, where “white rice with clear water” has created a method of fermenting fish with Vietnamese identity: using Listen to fermented roasted rice, instead of cold rice. The Khmer people are sincere and honest, but the cuisine is still entangled in the wild. Living in harmony between the two rainy and sunny seasons along the Mekong River, both the Khmer and the Southern people gradually perfect the rustic dishes from fish sauce. Khmer people in the West know how to apply more spices to make beef sauce wrapped in green banana leaves more fragrant. Snakehead fish in the pot of braised fish of the West is replaced with basa or howling fish for fatter. At that time, when I heard about the original way of fermenting beef sauce, I did not dare to eat it, not to mention the stories of weaving and adding charms from folk about the Khmer. Then I try to practice and feel very delicious! 3. The time I had a meal in Phnom Penh, it was so delicious with Prahok Kob. Mixed beef sauce with bacon + beef and dangerous chili, wrapped in green banana leaves and grilled on charcoal. Just raw cucumber, eggplant and vermicelli, mixed with fish sauce, I’m full, I don’t care about other dishes… That night, I also learned the national spirit of the Khmer people through the mouth-watering saying “No prahok, no salt”, deeply understood: without beef sauce, the meal cannot be delicious! Southeast Asian countries all have their own “country spirit”, which I have also tasted such as Ngapi – Burma, Kapi – Thailand, Trasi and Petis udang – Indonesia, Bagoong – Philippine, Belacan – Malaysia, Padaek – Laos, … In my eyes, Vietnam deserves to be the “Lord of fish”. The variety and abundance is so rich that I cannot count all the separate categories by region… 4. The rain is pouring heavily, eating fish sauce to realize the bold, honest, and innocent features of the old countryside. Processing is as easy as the identity and life of the fish, when the fish is choked with a little water, boil it to get the juice. If you want the fish sauce to be strong or light, depending on the amount of fresh coconut water you add to dilute the fish sauce. Bring to a boil again, I season to taste. Among the spices I’ve tried, for me, garlic and lemongrass are the best, so I minced them and put them in the hot pot to add extra fat. Looking at the plate of meat, everyone will be amazed, but those who like to eat fish have the same opinion: the best is to eat vegetables with fish sauce! When I cook hotpot, I think of my mother, because she foresaw my fortune: old age, no job to earn money, so I have to eat fish sauce to change day by day…

Where are the leaves and flowers – a wild plant that grows a lot in An Giang. Photo: Tourism Newspaper Prohoc sauce (prohok – boo hoc), according to my mother-in-law, the climate in the South has two seasons: rainy and sunny. In addition to the rice season, the fish season is also the main season of the Khmer farmers in the South. They catch fish in many forms such as slapping or fishing, spreading nets, fishing nets, etc. Where they can be caught, they can be dried there with large fish, while small fish are made into beef sauce. Every house makes two or three jars to eat all year round. Bo hoc sauce is almost considered as the main dish in the culinary life of the Khmer people as well as the Vietnamese people’s snakehead, choke, and roe sauces. Although their way of making prohoc fish sauce is similar to that in Cambodia, but through the stages to become bohoc sauce, it is necessary that there is no longer a musty smell, especially without maggots. Usually they use snakehead fish more than other types of fish, of course, snakehead fish to make fish sauce will be more delicious. Select suffocated snakehead fish, scrape the scales, scrape the blood on the spine, wash and soak in cold water for a day and a night (24g), then take it out and leave it in a basket to drain. Use a knife to gradually fish the fish, add a small pinch of salt and a little cold rice, mix well. Incubate in a sealed container, the next day take out the fish and place it in a thick basket, cover the basket with a piece of mocha, use a rock or heavy object to ballast the water with a fishy smell. Then, put the fish in a jar or glass glue, use your hands to receive the fish easily, cut the mo areca to fit the mouth of the jar or glue it on, use a bamboo brace to fasten it. Then proceed to cook salt water poured over the fish and then dried in the sun. About three months, the fish sauce can be eaten, but only used for making stewed, fried, seasoned soups, cooked vermicelli or cooked with potted rice noodles with shaved corn with straw mushrooms and snakehead fish or shrimp. If you want to eat it raw, you must leave it for a year or more, the longer you leave it, the more delicious it will be. Beef broth of Khmer people. Usually fish sauce is eaten raw with thinly sliced ​​​​fruit or paired with herbs of all kinds. In particular, when cooking vermicelli, fish meat is shredded, boned, put in a mortar with wormwood vermicelli, boiled, combed for water, then added fresh snakehead fish, pork, minced lemongrass into the pot of water. leo. Those who have never eaten prahoc sauce, when they heard the name mentioned, they were afraid. But if you happen to stand in the wind, someone is cooking fish sauce, the sense of smell can enjoy a faint aroma mixed between the pungent smell of brewed fish and the sweet aroma of fish sauce. That taste makes us drowsy, listening to the hungry stomach. Having a sip of spinach soup or a bowl of vermicelli, there was nothing happier than that. Happier if you can eat a piece of raw fish sauce sandwiched with the fruit, the sour and sour taste of the fish sauce mixed with the sweet and fragrant taste of the fish sauce, the warm and spicy taste of minced lemongrass, dissolved in a sip of wine cooked with rice, is nothing better. It’s like listening to the wine pushing the fish sauce and slowly drifting into the throat, slowly ripening… gradually…, falling into the stomach. Please bear with me, I don’t know what language to use to describe all that “delicious” pleasure! Where is the dried gourd salad with choke fish . Photo: Tourism Newspaper At home, my wife gently washes each bunch of young leaves, each tiny bunch of tiny aluminum flakes, drains before mixing the salad with cucumber, thinly sliced ​​tomatoes, and purple onions. Similar to the way to mix durian salad of the Vietnamese people in Sam mountain (Chau Doc, An Giang), it is mixed with dried snakehead fish, shredded grilled snakehead fish or with shrimp, tiger, boiled bacon cut into pieces and eaten together. coriander leaves. But, with the Khmer it is a little different. After washing vegetables, tomatoes are grated into thin circles; thinly sliced ​​purple onion; cilantro, chopped coriander only; chili, minced garlic. After that, my wife started to process the mixed water and put the cooked tamarind in a bowl to make boiling water, stirring to dissolve the tamarind rice. Then she began to process the mixed water, using cooked tamarind in a bowl or cup, boiling water in, stirring with chopsticks until the sour substance was diluted in the water. Prahoc sauce is also put in a bowl, add boiling water, and crumble until the meat is broken. Then, comb the water to decant the fish baits and bones. Crush garlic, chili, add a little granulated sugar and then add two kinds of tamarind juice, fish sauce, stir well, sweet and sour seasoning. When the shrimp or tiger is cooked, take it out, take out the cooked meat and cut it into thin pieces. Put both in a bowl of vegetables, add the mixed water, mix well with the leaves and flowers, then start enjoying. Unlike at home, where I sit to eat on a chair around the table, Khmer people eat on a plank, all the dishes are arranged in the heart of the board. Everyone in the family, along with my father’s two brothers and my (mother’s) brother, my wife sat cross-legged around the tray of rice. My father is the oldest person in the family, holding a cup and chopsticks to invite: “Each oot kho nia hop bai” (the whole family eats rice). I took each chopsticks of salad into my mouth, chewed slowly, the sweet and sour taste of cucumber, tomato, the spicy taste of garlic, chili, laksa leaves, coriander mixed with the sweetness of shrimp meat, the fat of pork belly. shine in the district with the sweet and bitter taste of sorrow. All of these are imbued with the sweet aroma of beef sauce, creating a delicious taste. Sorrow salad is no longer a favorite dish for men to sip with kh Kha wine, there is nothing better than telling stories in gatherings. My father-in-law holds a bottle of wine that is fermented with home-cooked glutinous rice that my uncle and I bring in according to the Khmer custom in the days of Sene Dolta (anniversary ceremony). He poured out a small glass, clear drops of wine slowly sparkling, showing a very high alcohol concentration. Picking up the glass, he said: “Onh Chon ate every ounce of happiness” (inviting everyone to drink wine). He brought a glass of wine to his lips, gulped it down, then wheezed, said: “Sê Chchanh” (good wine) and then poured a pass for each person. When I came to my circle, I refused because the wine was too strong, but my uncle said: “Num salinh top brother chon” (Ba Thuong Ba just invited). Hearing that, I couldn’t refuse and reached out to accept the wine glass. Before drinking, I picked up a chopsticks of salad, put it in my mouth, chewed it slowly, enjoying the sweet aroma, then swallowed, then gulped down the glass with my breath, the spicy alcohol on the surface of my tongue and then “swallowed” the salad pieces for them. drifting slowly, slowly, heating up as if they were ripening, softening and disintegrating. Enjoying this delicious dish, I realized that, no matter how sad, but when chewing a piece of melancholy salad, the sorrow is also broken and blended into the delicious taste that gradually drifts down to the stomach, leaving only a sweet, bitter aftertaste on the tip of the tongue that we always feel like eating more! Chau Doc (An Giang), where is known as the “kingdom” of fish sauce. Photo: Huynh LamTGTT On that day, when the cool winds swayed the surface of the Hau River, the first rain of the April season watered the fields and awakened the young shrimps that were still sleeping in spring in the shells clinging to the field or in frogs and crab burrows. , eels, snakes… At that time, the uncles started a self-reliant life. This is also the time when Khmer farmers are busy for the rice sowing season. The lush green carpets grow with the water. The shrimps are also growing up. By the middle of the eighth month of the lunar calendar, the rice begins to ripen and the fields are golden, and people are anxious for the harvest. The fields are drained and the water flows down the canals and canals. This is the season of catching shrimp. Children, adults, women, young people, anyone can participate. People use bamboo slats, walk in the deep corners of the fields or use fine nets to drag along the canals. But the most common is to use scrubbing to place the free place to drain the water flowing down the canals to catch shrimp. Shrimp is an inexpensive source of wild food, but rich in protein, calcium, and easy to prepare. Can be boiled with rice paper, raw vegetables; fried dough; warehouse; roasted… but the best is to make fish sauce. The Khmer shrimp paste, called bo-ot, is different from the type of shrimp paste we usually use. The method is also simple, but must be carefully selected, remove moss, snail shells, dead leaves, grass, garbage, etc. Most importantly, remove the ones on the head with luminous substance by putting the shrimp in the ball. dark for easy viewing. If chosen incorrectly, when making fish sauce, it is easy to be poisoned. After choosing, wash, and use 1kg of shrimp with a high concentration of base wine, 50gr of granulated salt, marinate, cover for about 30 minutes, drain water, mix in a cup of cold rice, 100g of white granulated sugar, Get the cloves into the glue. About three days later, add chopped ginger, garlic, and crushed chili, mix well into the glue. Try eating a piece of ginger, if it tastes sour, the fish sauce has been eaten. Bo-ot fish sauce is very delicious, sour, sweet, aromatic, spicy… stimulating the digestive system, it is difficult for any kind of shrimp paste to be compared with its unique flavor. Shrimp sauce is served with raw vegetables of all kinds along with fresh vermicelli, rice paper and pineapple, acrid banana, sour fruit, thin slices when the family has an anniversary, party… But it is also used as food in daily meals. family day. When eating sandwich with grilled catfish, beef sauce gives me its wonderful taste, so I can’t help but “work hard” to bring my wife back to visit her family whenever I have the opportunity. And every time, besides visiting the health of my wife’s parents, and then gathering around the family tray of rice, I often enjoy the unique taste of beef sauce and beef sauce in a meal full of love. feel dear!

Bac Lieu ancient longan garden attracts many tourists to visit and experience. Photo: HUU THI Giong Nhan belongs to Hiep Thanh and Vinh Trach Dong communes of Bac Lieu city, about 10km from the city center, towards the sea. This is a coastal land, high sand dunes, suitable for growing longan, so hundreds of years ago, longan gardens were immense and luxuriant in this country. The name Giong Label also comes from there. So of course, Giong Nhan’s specialty is longan, but not ordinary but ancient longan. Dozens of ancient longan gardens running along Giong Nhan make visitors sink into the beautiful natural scenery. There are roots of longan with more than 200 years of age that still regularly bear fruit in the homeland of Da Co Hoai Lang. The original large label with the hand of an adult, imprinted with the traces of time with rough shapes, winding wood grain, one after another will help visitors get beautiful photos. Bac Lieu longan is sweet, crispy, succulent, very fragrant. In order to exploit this indigenous cultural resource, the People’s Committee of Bac Lieu province has developed and implemented a project to preserve ancient longan associated with tourism development, creating good changes. Also on Giong Nhan route, visitors will admire the “mango” nearly 340 years old, still lush, this season is bearing fruit. The mango tree is over 15m high, the canopy is over 300m2, the trunk is up to 6 people’s arms. This mango tree was recognized by the Vietnam Association for the Protection of Nature and Environment as a “Vietnam Heritage Tree” in 2015 and has been declared over 334 years old. The elderly in this country also do not know when this mango tree has been planted, by whom, only know that it is pride and sharing with tourists near and far. Around the ancient mango tree, there are many stories about the time of reclaiming and establishing a hamlet, expanding this Giong Nhan land, making visitors even more fascinated. A few hundred meters from the ancient mango tree is Xiem Can pagoda, which has been ranked as a national relic. This is a hundred-year-old Khmer ancient temple with magnificent and sacred architecture. This land has the cultural interference of the community of 3 ethnic groups: Kinh, Hoa, and Khmer, so the name Xiem Can pagoda in Chinese means “bordering the water”, because of its location near the sea. This temple is always the priority destination of tourists when returning to Bac Lieu. The majestic and attractive architecture blends with the cool, shady green space. Just off the main road, turning to the entrance to the temple, visitors have walked through the shaded trees, with the gate, the architectural images of the Khmer pagoda keep leading the way to the peaceful place. A new but famous attraction near and far on Giong Nhan street is the wind power field of Bac Lieu, not far from Xiem Can pagoda. In the midst of the immense sea and sky, the wind turbines rotate like giant pinwheels curled in the air, above are white clouds, below are blue seas. Visitors just need to stand on the bridge, tilt at any angle, pose for a beautiful picture, as if standing in Europe. “Virtual living paradise” is how young people often call this wind power field. If you go out to your heart’s content, you should sit back and enjoy Giong Label’s specialty, which is banh xeo. Giong Label pancake is so famous that everyone must eat it once. There are also people who say to themselves that “Banh xeo is not like that anywhere” and they have found themselves “wrong too wrong” when once enjoying Giong Nhan specialties. The skin of Giong Label pancakes is much thicker than regular pancakes but is quite crispy. Meat and shrimp are spread evenly on the skin of the cake, not focusing on the filling like the usual way. The filling of Giong Nhan pancakes is also made with fresh seafood from the sea of ​​Bac Lieu, and added with vegetables from the field, garden vegetables, etc., mixed with dipping sauce with a characteristic concoction flavor. All rolled up, dipped in dipping sauce and leisurely enjoyed. Crispy, greasy, sweet skin of seafood, a little sour – acrid – bitter – strong of vegetables and salty – sweet – sour – spicy of dipping sauce, all make up a memorable smell. Without going far and not moving too much, visitors had a memorable day when going out to Giong Nhan. Another option that many people experience is to take advantage of the day to visit two more places just over ten minutes from Giong Nhan by car, which is to visit Mother Nam Hai (Quan Am Phat Dai) and Don Ca Tai Tu Memorial Area and musician Cao Van Lau.

1. Which province has a “gate of the heavens of time”? An Giang
Bac Giang
Kien Giang Between heaven and earth in An Giang, the “heaven gate” with intricately carved patterns and details attracts tourists and locals. The work is located in Chau Lang commune, Tri Ton district, is a unique ancient architecture of the Khmer people. In addition to the name “heaven gate of time”, “An Giang heaven gate” or Koh Kas temple gate are other ways of calling this work. On the way from “heaven’s gate” to the temple, you have the opportunity to see the golden rice fields, green palm trees or mingle on the winding village road… Photo: Daika.bao . 2. Which of the following passes is also called Heaven’s Gate? Hai Van Pass
O Quy Ho Pass
White Rock Pass O Quy Ho Pass (Lai Chau) is nearly 50 km long, located on the 4D National Highway crossing the Hoang Lien Son range, connecting the two provinces of Lao Cai and Lai Chau. The top of the mountain pass, also known as the Heaven Gate, is located at an altitude of 2,073 m above sea level. From here, you have the opportunity to admire the majestic mountains of Sa Pa, the winding road of O Quy Ho pass, Silver waterfall and Hoang Lien Son range in the distance… Photo: Trangchuot0903 . 3. Vung Tau (Ba Ria – Vung Tau) has any famous “heaven gate”? Nghinh Phong Cape Heaven Gate
Shark nose heaven gate

Mui Treo Heaven Gate With the terrain “back to the mountain, facing the sea”, Nghinh Phong cape is a familiar destination for many tourists when coming to Vung Tau. The area is popular for swimming, rock climbing and sunset photography. The corner of the “popular” picture at Nghinh Phong cape is the “gate of heaven” with eye-catching yellow tones. The gate is not large, nor does it have a very special architecture. However, when you step through this gate, you will clearly feel the unspoiled beauty of the sea. Image: Imminhhien00 . 4. Where is the “Gate of Heaven” sea view in the picture located? Con Dao (Ba Ria – Vung Tau)
Phu Quoc (Kien Giang)
Nha Trang (Khanh Hoa) The “gate of heaven” built at Bai Truong (Phu Quoc) impresses with the unique design of the human face split in half. The building faces the mainland, in the middle is a small walkway like an open gate, both for visitors to take pictures and lead you to the beach. Image: Vogueuplikethis . 5. Which temple in Lam Dong has a “gate of heaven” that attracts young people to check-in? Linh Phuoc Pagoda
Linh Quy Phap An Pagoda
Linh An Temple Linh Quy Phap An Pagoda is located in the middle of a peaceful and peaceful place on hill 45, Loc Thanh commune, Bao Lam district (Lam Dong). This place possesses unique architecture, the highlight is the majestic Shinto gate which is likened to the “gate of heaven”. The gate has a mysterious feature that stands out among the majestic natural scenery. The project has attracted the attention of young people since it appeared in the context of an MV by Son Tung M-TP. Image: _pupu1110 . 6. In which province is Muong Long Heaven Gate? Nghe An
Ha Tinh
Quang Binh Muong Long Heaven Gate, belongs to Muong Long commune, Ky Son district (Nghe An). Heaven Gate is located at an altitude of 1,500 m above sea level, about 300 km from Vinh city center. The weather here is cool all year round, ideal for camping or trekking. In addition, you also have the opportunity to admire the beauty of the sky and explore the unique culture of the highlands when coming to this place. Image: Cao San Din . 7. What relic is considered “heaven’s gate” on the top of Ngang pass? Hai Van Quan

Ky Nam Quan
Hoanh Son Quan Hoanh Son Quan was built of brick and stone in 1833 (in the reign of King Minh Mang), in order to control the passage of the Ngang pass. Local people often call the above monument “heaven’s gate”, meaning the highest point of the land. Over the past hundred years, Hoanh Son Quan still retains the ancient architecture with many vestiges and words carved into the wall. From Hoanh Son Quan overlooking the fields, mountains, hills, the sea and National Highway 1 running through. Image: Pham Truong, Tien Dat . The famous hidden temple in the middle of the famous thousand is located near Da Lat Linh Quy Phap An Pagoda (Bao Loc, Lam Dong) is one of the most attractive places to visit because of its unique architecture and peaceful space.

The concrete route goes through the orchards of Khmer farmers in Nui To commune Convenient roads There was 1,000m2 of garden land at the foot of Co To mountain, but in the past, the income brought to Mr. Chau Si’s family (To Thuan hamlet, Nui To commune, Tri Ton district) was not much. The reason is that the road from the foot of the mountain to the garden is trails and not convenient for motorbikes, so it is difficult to transport materials and agricultural products. When the People’s Committee of Tri Ton district deployed the construction of a road connecting Soai So Lake to Soai Chek Lake with the length of 1,864m, mobilized by the hamlets and prestigious people of the Khmer ethnic minorities, Mr. Chau Si and more than 130 households Khmer in To Thuan hamlet voluntarily donated the land area with roads passing through, supporting additional costs of scooping land to create the most favorable conditions for the construction unit. The concrete road with 3m wide road surface has just been completed by the end of 2020 (not including the roadside 1m on each side), creating many advantages for people to circulate and transport goods and agricultural products. With a solid design, allowing a payload of 3.5 tons, not only motorbikes but cars, trucks can also circulate from Soai So tourist resort through the Soai Chek tourist site. With this approach, the concrete route connecting Soai Chek Lake (Nui To commune) across the border of An Tuc commune (the road to the Tuc Dup hill tourism area) is 1,235 meters long, the road surface is 3.5 meters wide. convenient for Khmer people to circulate and transport goods. For tourists, visiting and exploring Ta Pa hill, Soai Chek lake, Soai So, Tuc Dup hill is also shortened and more convenient. Up to now, there are 4 communes in Tri Ton district recognized as NTM commune standards: Vinh Gia (recognized in 2016), Ta Danh (recognized in 2017), Luong Phi and Luong An Tra (recognized in 2019. ). By 2020, these communes all maintain the set of NTMs and criteria and are aiming to reach the advanced NTM commune standards. For people in these localities, NTM is not only a title to be proud of, but also brings efficiency and practical benefits. Typically, in Luong Phi commune, thanks to the construction of the NTM, there are now more important roads invested, such as: a concrete road connecting Provincial Road 955B bordering the beginning of Ben Bo canal, connecting Provincial Road 955B bordering the beginning of Ben Xa canal. , Ben Dau street (section 2) … Also in Luong An Tra commune, U-shaped asphalt slab is being upgraded to H7 (section 1). In the commune with the largest number of Khmer ethnic minorities in the province is O Lam commune, which is being invested in a concrete route Pray Ta Pun; An Tuc commune is the canal H7; Le Tri commune is the road from group 13 to football field … Change production mindset From the National Target Program to build NTMs, the face of rural areas in many communes of Tri Ton district has changed many times. In families, thinking of production, cultivation, and husbandry has many innovations, helping to improve the efficiency of farming on the same area, increase income, improve life … Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (Agriculture and Rural Development) of Tri Ton district Nguyen Van Van said that many high-tech agricultural models at district and provincial levels have been supported for implementation. Thereby, creating a demonstration model in the locality to persuade farmers to study and apply. In Co To commune, the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Tri Ton district and the locality supported the model of growing hydroponic vegetables in a mesh house according to the model of high-tech agriculture in the district. Meanwhile, in Chau Lang commune is the application model of automatic sprinkler irrigation system remotely controlled by smart phone on jackfruit orchards. The application of water-saving irrigation systems for crops has been widely deployed in the district, including: water-saving irrigation for orange trees in Tan Tuyen commune; irrigation for mango trees in communes: Le Tri, Tan Tuyen, Luong Phi; canola in Nui To commune; jackfruit tree in Lac Quoi commune; Thai custard-apple in Luong An Tra commune. In the communes: An Tuc, O Lam, Vinh Gia are continuing to implement the model of chicken raising on biological mat. In Nui To commune, it is a model of growing hydroponic vegetables in a net house. The provincial agricultural models applying high technology are also supported to deploy in Tri Ton district. In the extremely difficult communes of the district, support is provided for the implementation of automatic irrigation with solar energy to grow fruit trees. Meanwhile, the model of a lemon garden using high technology (water saving irrigation system combined with solar cells) is effective. Below Chek Soai Lake, the model of grid house application combined with economical irrigation system in melon production opens new development prospects. In Lac Quoi commune, the model of application of spray irrigation system at the base of longan showed positive results. Meanwhile, the model linking backyard chicken raising towards VietGAP for tourism helps people increase their income … Along with building NTM commune, Tri Ton district also implements criteria for NTMs standard hamlets for difficult and border areas. Up to now, two hamlets of Vinh Hoa and Vinh Thuan of Lac Quoi border commune have achieved 19/19 criteria, the remaining hamlets are striving, such as Ninh Thanh hamlet (An Tuc commune), An Thanh hamlet (Le Tri commune). , Phuoc Loi hamlet (O Lam commune) and To Thuan hamlet (Nui To commune).

Stemming from the research on the model combining agricultural production and solar power in 2018, the Green Innovation and Development Center (GreenID) continues to do field research to pilot the model in An Giang province. The selected place is the cultivated land of Mr. Chau Hon’s family, Khmer household in An Hoa hamlet (Chau Lang commune, Tri Ton). The model was implemented by GreenID and Climate Sense Co., Ltd. (Climate Sense) from May 2020, with the support of the Management Board of the Sustainable Energy Development Project in An Giang province, Department of Agriculture and Development. Tri Ton district rural area and Chau Lang Commune People’s Committee. The model is designed according to the standards of rooftop solar power installed on construction works, tree-growing houses and instructions of EVN (Vietnam Electricity) with a capacity of 45Kwp, installed on an area of ​​400m2. of Mr. Chau Hon’s family. The model is completed and the grid is connected in December 2020. To ensure the efficiency of the plants underneath, the solar panels are designed with the right spacing, to ensure the growth of the plant variety. This is considered the first model with tripartite cooperation (people, businesses and non-profit organizations). The benefit sharing mechanism is discussed, agreed and harmonized among the participants. Agricultural production and sub-system farming activities are calculated and tested as soon as the system is completed with a number of short-term crops to assess growth and economic efficiency of the system. paradigm. The solar model associates agricultural production with double efficiency According to GreenID, the profit from the model will be divided among the parties according to the proportion of capital contribution invested. The disbursement period for Climate Sense is in the first 10 years because Climate Sense capital is meant to support initial investment. After 10 years, the whole system will be handed over to GreenID and households for management and use. After 20 years, GreenID will hand over to households full ownership. This model is expected to bring many multilateral financial benefits to the participants and facilitate as well as a typical model to call for more investors to expand. Farmers are excited Since commissioning in early 2021, the power generation portion is monitored remotely on the phone application. As recorded, the sunniest day, the model produces about 246Kwh of electricity and the lowest is 43Kwh on the day. On average, the system produces 103 kWh of electricity per day (as of April 7, 2021). Every month, electricity will record the indexes and payout on the amount of electricity sold to the investor’s account. From January to March 2021, the project has sold more than 4,471 kWh of electricity, equivalent to over VND 22 million. In this joint venture model, all participants benefit from the project. All profits earned from the sale of electricity to EVN will be distributed to the parties to the investment according to the profit sharing structure agreed upon by the parties in the joint venture cooperation contract. Joining the model, Mr. Chau Hon’s family and the project planted some new crops to test new crops for research. From January to April 2021, the research team collaborated with the project team and farmers to experiment with water spinach and cucumber to calculate the suitability of plants under solar panels and compare them with planting. outside. In fact, plants in the shade under solar panels grow well because they retain moisture, avoid direct sunlight due to extremely sunny weather and improved farming techniques. “I planted cucumber from February to 2021, the plants grown in a greenhouse under the panels outperform the control field outside, the fruiting rate is quite stable. Currently, my family harvests more than 30kg of cucumber per day. The fruit has a nice design and is long, fresh and delicious, highly appreciated by customers ”- Mr. Chau Hon said excitedly. Deputy Director of Department of Agriculture and Rural Development Truong Kien Tho said that the combination of agricultural production and solar power is a new model, showing initial efficiency. “When looking at the pictures of the panels covering the agricultural land, many people think it is impossible to cultivate. However, when choosing suitable crops, productivity and quality are higher. In the same arid land, farmers can keep an income from farming while also earning a monthly electricity bill. This is a model that can help many farmers to escape poverty sustainably and get better-off ”- Mr. Tho assessed. The model of installing solar cells combining agricultural production below helps generate additional revenue from selling solar power, making the most of arable land to increase income, and reduce conflicts in use. use of land resources. Some crops benefit from increased coverage, resulting in higher yields and better product quality