The cakes made from ants’ eggs – the gifts of the forest

4/9/2019 - 3:36:42 PM

(HBO) - The end of lunar February and the beginning of lunar March is when the weather becomes warm with the spring buds after the days of sleeping in the cold weather. That is when the black ant colonies converge on their nests to lay eggs. The young ants' eggs with the aroma are round and milky like the rice grains, which are a special kind of cake filling for people to make the quite unique and very delicious and attractive cakes – the cakes from ants’ eggs.

Along with Treo Kheo and Nang cakes, the cakes from ants' eggs are a special kind of cakes, which is really meaningful for Muong ethnic people in the province. Many Muong ethnic young men keep the custom of making the cakes from ants' eggs to give their father and mother-in-law.

Mr. Bui Van Trong from Bun hamlet, Yen Mong commune (Hoa Binh city) says when he grew up, he was handed down the customs that Muong ethnic young men often went to the forest to get ants' eggs to make cakes at the end of lunar February and early lunar March. The first cakes of the season of cakes from ants’ eggs would be used as gifts for parents-in-law, showing the respect and the gratitude.

The biggest difference of the cakes from ants’ eggs and other cakes is that the cake filling is made from ants' eggs. However, not all ant eggs can be eaten. Only eggs of black forest ants with small body and pointed tails with their nests on bamboo, neohouzeaua, aganonerion polymorphum and bambusa nutans are aromatic, delicious and greasy and can be eaten. Only those who are good at going to the forest, or often go to get ant eggs know how to distinguish and find the position of ants to collect eggs.

A unique cake made from black ant eggs.

Ms. Bui Thi Om, Khang Dinh hamlet, Yen Mong commune (Hoa Binh city) says in order to make delicious cakes, the most important thing is to make delicious cake filling. "Many people making the cakes from ants’ eggs often fry the ants' eggs with fat and onions, then they mix minced meat and crushed peanuts, but we only fry onion with fat, and then mix them with raw ant eggs to make the cake filling. The shell is made of sticky rice with large seeds. The clean rice is soaked in cold water overnight, it is drained and then it is ground into powder and molded with water. After kneading to make the powder dough and smooth, it is divided into small grips, then the cake filling from ants’ egg is put in the middle. The cake is wrapped with fig leaves. The inner leaf layer can be eaten with the cake. The cake is steamed for about 30 minutes to be well-done.”

When the cakes from ants' eggs are well – done, they are often cut into small pieces under the fresh fig leaves. The cake can be eaten hot or cold with a delicious taste, but people who enjoy it will feel the deliciousness of glutinous rice, the coolness of fig leaves and especially the delicious and charming taste of ant eggs inside. Today, although there are many kinds of cakes, the cakes from ants' eggs are especially loved by Muong ethnic people because of their unique taste and identity.

Mo Muong - unique cultural heritage of Muong people

Mo is a term referring to a profession and cultural heritage which integrates folk beliefs with folk culture and arts. Practiced at funerals and religious rituals by the Muong ethnic people, it aims to provide spiritual comfort during significant life events such as illness and death.

Unique traits of ethnic groups in Hoa Binh

Hoa Binh leaves a strong impression on visitors due to the diversity in the lifestyle and cultural identities of its ethnic groups. The province is home to six main ethnic groups, with a total population of nearly 900,000. The largest group is Muong, making up 63.3% of the population, followed by Kinh with 27.73%, Thai 3.9%, Tay 2.7%, Dao 1.7%, Mong 0.52%, and other ethnic groups 1.18%. Along with the long history of the nation’s formation and defence, the province’s ethnic groups have always been united, hardworking, and determined to strive for socio-economic development. At the same time, each ethnic group displays its own unique and distinct cultural identity, contributing to a diverse, rich, and attractive cultural tapestry.

Promoting Hoa Binh cultural heritage values: Part 3 - Reviving traditional values

Hoa Binh province has carried out multiple programmes and initiatives to revive its cultural heritage which has gradually fallen into oblivion through the ebbs and flows of history.

Exploring Hoa Binh Culture

The most prominent and defining feature in the prehistoric era of Hoa Binh is the Hoa Binh Culture. The Culture was first discovered in Hoa Binh. The significant prehistoric culture represents not only Vietnam but also Southeast Asia and southern China. Through excavations of cave sites in the limestone regions of Hoa Binh, French archaeologist M. Colani introduced the world to a "Stone Age in Hoa Binh province – Northern Vietnam" in 1927. On January 30, 1932, the First Congress of Far Eastern Prehistorians, held in Hanoi, officially recognised the Hoa Binh Culture.

Promoting Hoa Binh cultural heritage values: Part 2 - Rich cultural heritage in Vietnam’s northwest gateway

Known as the "Land of Epic History”, Hoa Binh province, the gateway to Vietnam’s northwest, boasts a strategic location and a unique cultural tapestry woven by its ethnic minority communities.

Receiving the certificate of the historical and cultural site at the provincial level for Sau Communal House, Thanh Cao Commune

The People's Committee of Luong Son District recently held a ceremony to receive the certificate recognizing Sau Communal House in Thanh Cao Commune as a provincial-level historical and cultural site.