Special 'autumn gift' from a traditional craft village of Hanoi

The “com” (rice nuggets) from Hanoi's Me Tri village has long been an indispensable specialty of Vietnamese culinary culture. Com also is and an elegant gift in the autumn in the capital.

Special 'autumn gift' from a traditional craft village of Hanoi -1

The steps to make the com are simple but also elaborate, showing the skillful hands of the people who make it. The raw material to make com is glutinous rice grain.

Special 'autumn gift' from a traditional craft village of Hanoi -2

There are many types of glutinous rice that can be used to make com, like luong phuong rice, fragrant glutinous rice, tan glutinous rice, tangerine glutinous rice, yellow flower glutinous rice...

Special 'autumn gift' from a traditional craft village of Hanoi -3

The worker in Me Tri will carry out all the stages to make com, from roasting, sieving to pounding, until the final product is soft and flexible.

Special 'autumn gift' from a traditional craft village of Hanoi -4

Each packet of com is wrapped in lotus leaf and tied with a soft lattice, to keep the com moist and supple. This also helps to blend the flavors of lotus leaves with com.

Special 'autumn gift' from a traditional craft village of Hanoi -5

Visitors to Me Tri village of Hanoi’s Nam Tu Liem district these days can smell the soft fragrance of young rice in every corner. The charming scent of young rice is able to grasp the attention of any passers-by.

Special 'autumn gift' from a traditional craft village of Hanoi -6

For generations, traditional culinary villages in the capital city have created delicious dishes and contributed to the culinary ecosystem of Vietnam.

Special 'autumn gift' from a traditional craft village of Hanoi -7

Among those dishes, ‘com’ is considered a must-have snack for Hanoians in autumn. To many, the green, fragrant, and light sweet flakes seem to contain the entire quintessence of the nature.