(HBO) - Visiting Muong land in Hoa Binh, visitors may not only have the opportunity to visit the historical-cultural sites, famous landscapes but also can experience, enjoy various kinds of food with typical ethnic culture. One of them is Lam Rice. With special know-how and unique taste, Hoa Binh Lam Rice has become a unique and impressive dish.


Lam rice is sold at the gate of Kim Boi Mineral Spring Ecotourism site.

The processing of rice is so simple that almost any person born in the North West forest knows how to make. The first step is to select the bamboo tube. In order to have delicious and beautiful rice, you have to choose the fresh bamboo, dark green cover; then, chop into pieces with the length of about 30cm. The next step is choosing sticky rice: it must be yellow flower sticky rice with round fragrant milky white seeds.

At first, clean the rice, soak for 6-8 hours, then pick up to the basket for dryness. Next, pour the rice into the tube, fill the rice with water and cover the tube with the dried banana leaves or the sugar cane cut into small pieces of 3 cm long. It is noted that when filling the rice, do not fill the tube fully but with a small space so that when being cooked, the rice will fill the mouth of the tube.

When all of the preparation is complete, the Lam rice tubes will be baked on fire. While baking, constantly turn the tubes for evenly cooked Lam Rice. Notice that when the water is vapored from the scented lid, which means the rice is well cooked. Use a knife to remove the outer shell, leaving only a thin layer. When eating, peeling and eating with sesame salt or simply white salt is also very delicious.

Nowadays, as the society grows sharply, the demand of people is increasingly higher; the way to make Lam Rice is a little different. Besides the usual Lam Rice, there is also Lam Rice with coconut juice, five – colored Lam Rice, Lam Rice with peanut, etc. Local people no longer make Lam Rice to eat when going to the forest anymore but it has become attached closely to their daily life.

Not only that, this simple and casual dish has become the brand of Hoa Binh.

Holding in my arms with a Lam Rice - a product of my ethnic group, it is hardly to describe my difficult emotion in my heart. As a child of Muong ethnic land, I was born and grew up in the cradle of national culture; I always treasure the products of typical national culture. And above all, it is so exciting to know our products are introduced to visitors coming to Hoa Binh.

Ms. Bui Thi Nguyen, a longtime cook of Lam Rice at Kim Boi Mineral Springs (Kim Boi district), said: "In recent years, tourists have been buying more and more Lam rice, partially as a dish to eat immediately and partially as a gift for their friends and relatives. Thanks to cooking Lam Rice, the economy of my family and some other households cooking Lam Rice has been improved gradually.

Sharing with us while selecting Lam Rice to buy, Mr. Mai Dinh Tu (Chua Ha Street, Cau Giay District, Hanoi) said: "I often take my wife and children to Hoa Binh for relaxation. Each time I come there, I always buy Lam Rice as souvenirs. Everyone at my office and family like it very much. Every time I had the chance to come to Hoa Binh, they also asked me to buy Lam Rice."

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