HANOI — Located close to the peaceful Cau River, Tho Ha Village in the northern province of Bac Giang has developed a name for itself thanks to its original ancient architecture and specialty products — rice paper and crackers.
The rice paper made in the village has been so renowned and favored that it has appeared in meals from the north to the south, and even abroad.
Arriving at the village, visitors might be overwhelmed on seeing rice paper drying in every corner.
From the early morning, villagers bring out thousands of rice-covered panels (phen) and stack them along the village streets and alleys. The rice paper gets evenly dried on the grounds of the communal houses, pagodas, roofs and trees.
The whole village is covered with the aromatic scent of flour while local ladies are seen toasting crackers over fire in the streets.
According to the locals, the rice paper must be dried in the thin mist in the air so that it can obtain a high quality and delicious taste.
The village has more than 600 households involved in making rice paper. The special features of Tho Ha rice paper are its thickness and flexibility. When soaked in water, it remains tough while not breaking up like some other types. Furthermore, the producers do not use additives to ensure food safety and hygiene.
On average, one household produces about 250-300 kilograms of rice cakes per day and earn an average income of about from 7 million Vietnamese dong to VND10 million per person per month, which is the main source of income for Tho Ha villagers.
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