Explore the 200-year-old rice paper craft village in Can Tho, Vietnam

Not only recognized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national intangible cultural heritage, Thuan Hung rice paper craft village has also become an attractive tourist destination, attracting many tourists when traveling to the land of Tay Do, Vietnam.
Located about 40km from the center of Can Tho city, the rice paper craft village in Thuan Hung ward (in the territory of Thot Not district, Can Tho city) is one of this land's most attractive tourist attractions.

Also read: Tuy Loan rice paper making village

Thuan Hung rice paper craft village has existed and developed for about 200 years. According to information from the Economic Department of Thot Not District, in this craft village, only about 75 households are operating regularly to serve people's consumption needs inside and outside the province and export to Cambodia; 41 households produce during Tet.
Households mainly produce in the form of manual ovens using rice husk ovens, of which 4 households invest in the production of rice paper coatings by machines. Although rice paper appears in many places, Thuan Hung rice paper is considered more delicious and famous, and any visitor coming here also wants to enjoy it once.

In Thuan Hung craft village, 4 types of rice paper are produced: salty, flat, sweet, and coconut. The salty cake has a lot of salt, so it can be preserved for a longer time, while the cake is impressed by its crispy and delicious taste. Nem cake is small, and coconut cake is mixed with coconut milk and sesame. Each type of cake has its unique flavor and different size.

According to locals, making delicious rice paper requires meticulousness, ingenuity and own secret. Rice must be selected from the typical rice of the land of Thot Not; harvested rice takes about half a year to make. Because the rice is too new when dipped in water, the cake will be disintegrated and baked not evenly; when the rice is too old when baking, the cake will no longer retain the sweetness. Moreover, the people of Thuan Hung also have their secret in making powder.
Visiting Thuan Hung rice paper village, many visitors also learn about the process of making rice paper the locals and enjoy hand-rolling famous batches of delicious cakes.

Mr. Nguyen Dinh Hoang Khanh (living in Ho Chi Minh City) had the opportunity to visit the rice paper craft village in Thuan Hung and was impressed with the scenery there. "The characteristic to recognize that when you come to Thuan Hung, you will see rice paper being dried by local people in the yard, along the road, leaning against the fence or the drying racks spread along the canal," Mr. Khanh described.

Here, the young man observed the process of making rice paper, from coating the cake to getting it after it was dried. "This is the first time I know the process of making rice paper, even though I have enjoyed this dish for decades," said 9X humorously.
To make delicious rice paper, people in Thuan Hung have to adjust the amount of flour to suit a specialized tool called a dipper. Each dough scoop corresponds to a cake. Rice flour, after grinding, is poured onto a mosquito net (also known as a curtain) stretched over a pot of evaporating boiling water. Next is coating the cake, which requires experienced and skillful workers.

According to locals, the secret to making delicious, thin and not crushed cakes is to ensure the fire is low and the cakes are evenly coated and quickly. Rice paper is steamed for about 15 seconds to be cooked.
Taking the cake is also very important, requiring rhythmic coordination between the maker and the cake maker. After the cake is coated, it will be very thin and wet, so it is easy to tear; the cook must skillfully hold the cake with one hand and the other to lift it and place it in the pan.

The last step is drying the cake. In addition to the weather factor, Thuan Hung people have to adjust the drying time and dry carefully so that the cake does not warp, keeping its appearance intact and beautiful.

If it's sunny, the cake is left to dry for about 30 minutes, then removed from the pan and rearranged into stacks. If exposed for long, the cake is too crispy, easily broken, and not guaranteed quality and aesthetics.

Thuan Hung rice paper has 4 types corresponding to 4 flavors, including sweet, salty, and coconut rice paper. In addition to serving people's consumption needs inside and outside the province, this famous cake is also exported to Cambodia, becoming a favorite specialty of many people.

Traveling to Can Tho, in addition to experiencing Thuan Hung rice paper craft village, visitors can combine visiting some places in the same direction as this craft village, such as Pothisomron Pagoda; Binh Thuy Communal House – one of the three largest communal houses in the West; Binh Thuy ancient house or explore Cai Rang floating market, Ong Pagoda, Gian Gua relic.