My Hoa tofu skin craft recognised as national intangible cultural heritage

My Hoa tofu skin craft is famous in Mekong Delta region. This is a healthy and nutritious product, not only used in vegetarian dishes but also used to cook many savory dishes.

The My Hoa village is on the bank of the Cai Von River in My Hoa Commune. In the past, you could only reach the area by boat. Now you can get there by crossing the Tu Tai Bridge over the river. Night or day, the village is always bustling, and the tofu skin here is golden, fragrant, crispy, and full of nutrients.

As reported, in the 18th and 19th centuries, social upheavals pushed many Chinese migrants to the south of Vietnam, bringing with them several traditional crafts to the new land. At that time, a man named Chau Xuong, his wife and two sons from Guangdong, China, migrated to the south and chose My Hoa to work as the first tofu skin makers.

The ancient craft was passed down by their family, but they hired some local residents to help. Gradually, the Vietnamese in the village embraced the Chinese tofu skin making and learnt the production secrets. A busy craft village was formed.

Little has changed in the processing steps and production tools. Machines have replaced some stages in the production process to meet increasing demand. However, the process mostly requires the skilful hands and the experience of workers.

Tofu skin in My Hoa is made from clean soybeans and does not use chemicals. Natural purity is a factor that defines the village's brand. The tofu skin here has been recognised as a 3-star OCOP (One Commune – One Product) product in the province.

"My Hoa tofu skin named as a national intangible cultural heritage is a joy, honour and pride of the craft village. It brings opportunities to promote and develop the village and attracts tourists to Vinh Long", Nguyen Thanh Can, chairman of Binh Minh Town's People's Committee, said.