The Culinary Colors of the Muong People in My Lung

My Lung is a mountainous commune located in the northwest of Yen Lap District, home to 11 ethnic groups, with the Muong people making up over 80% of the population. The Muong people of My Lung hold a traditional sticky rice cooking competition, known as “Xoi Nep Ga Gay” (Chicken Crows Sticky Rice), during major festivals and local celebrations.

Living for generations in an area blessed with fertile soil, where the Lao stream flows through more than half of the commune’s territory, the Muong people have enjoyed a rich diversity of natural products. This has allowed them to create a unique culinary culture with distinct flavors from the mountainous region of My Lung, such as: herbal cakes; sour bamboo shoot chicken; grilled Lao stream fish or fish cooked with sour cassava greens; salted banana stem, pickled vegetables; pig ear salad; buffalo meat cooked with von ven leaves; fermented meat; and bamboo-tube sour meat.

Among these, the most special dish is My Lung’s sticky rice “Xoi Nep Ga Gay” – one of three dishes from the province that has been honored by the Vietnam Culinary Culture Association as a representative Vietnamese dish. The rice is made from the famous Ga Gay sticky rice, known for its large, plump, white grains with a distinct aroma. When cooked, it has a sticky yet non-clinging texture, giving it a soft, delicious taste.

Muong My Lung’s Leaf Tray Feast

Specialty Grilled Lao Stream Fish

Mr. Dinh Cong Mot, a respected figure from Group 8, shared: “The Muong people of My Lung prefer grilled, boiled, and sticky rice dishes, often cooking with easily accessible local ingredients that are tied to our daily life, such as seeds of dổi, sẻn, and vón ven leaves. These ingredients help enhance the flavors and add the distinct taste of the mountains and forests. During festivals and major holidays, the offerings for the heavens and ancestors are arranged on a traditional banana leaf tray. We believe that the circular leaf tray, filled with colorful dishes, symbolizes community, unity, sincerity, and the strong bond among the people of Muong land. Today, this traditional culinary culture is still passed down through generations as a way for us to protect and continue to nurture our ethnic identity in the modern world.”

Bich Ngoc