Lang Lieu Rice Cake - A Fragrant Offering from the Motherland

Every year on the 10th of the third lunar month, the Lang Lieu rice cake is an essential offering in the ritual of Hung Kings' Death Anniversary. This simple offering not only expresses reverence for the ancestors and filial piety toward parents, but also embodies deep love for the homeland and the nation.

Delicious Lang Lieu rice cakes served to visitors at the Hung Kings Historical Relic Site.

At the Hung Kings Historical Relic Site, visitors have the opportunity to enjoy the Lang Lieu rice cakes made by the people of the ancestral land. Tran Thi Hang, the owner of the Lang Lieu rice cake production facility in Hy Cuong commune, and the seller at the Den Giếng area, shared: "This is a delicious, chewy, and smooth cake that carries significant meaning. To this day, Lang Lieu rice cakes are still offered to the Hung Kings during the Hung Kings' Death Anniversary as a way to honor King Hung, the founder of our nation." The process of making these cakes is quite intricate and requires the skillful hands of the maker. The outer layer of the cake is soft and fragrant with the smell of sticky rice, subtly infused with the aroma of dong leaves, creating a gift full of rustic charm. Lang Lieu rice cakes come in three flavors: salty mung bean filling, sweet mung bean filling, and plain. In 2024, Lang Lieu rice cakes were recognized as a 3-star OCOP product. This recognition has helped build the brand for Lang Lieu rice cakes.

To achieve this, the Lang Lieu rice cake production facility places great emphasis on selecting rice. The rice used for making the cakes is usually golden flower sticky rice. The rice is carefully washed, soaked, and then steamed over a wood stove to make the sticky rice soft and firm. The filling is made with yellow mung beans, which are carefully selected. Hang shared that in the past, her family used to pound the rice cakes by hand, but now they are made with machines, though the flavor remains unchanged. On a regular day, the facility produces around 10 kg of rice cakes. However, during the beginning of the year, especially during the Hung Kings' Death Anniversary and the Hung Kings Festival, the facility produces between 300 to 500 kg of sticky rice each day.

Lang Lieu rice cakes recognized as 3-star OCOP products.

The delicious rice cakes sold on the day of the festival are clearly labeled with the production facility’s brand, including full information on the address, ingredients, contact phone number, production date, and expiration date.

When visiting the Hung Kings Historical Relic Site, visitors are not only captivated by the beauty of the scenery but also have the chance to taste the rustic specialties of the people of the ancestral land. Lang Lieu rice cakes are not just a fragrant treat, but a symbol of solidarity, gratitude, and respect for the ancestors of the Vietnamese people, who have worked tirelessly for thousands of years to build and preserve the nation.

Thuy Hang