Grilled green rice and Green rice cake

Initially, green rice cakes were wedding cakes and they were also designed to replace the wedding cards announcing the wedding. The cake is made from green (unripe) glutinous rice which is stir-fried with fat and sugar, while its core is made of well pounded green beans (peas), a few slices of coconut white lining and a bit of sugar. It is made into a square cake which is wrapped in green, banana leaves and tied with red- colored bamboo strings – the color of threads used to unite the bride and the groom on marriage day. Green rice cakes are produced in many places, but Hanoi surpasses all over localities in fame over this item. In the past, the Coal Street of Hanoi (Hang Than) had a shop called Nguyen Ninh whose green rice cakes were well known throughout the country. Grilled green rice is made from green (unripe) glutinous rice which is sit-fried, then pounded and sifted. After the operation is completed the grilled green rice is preserved in lotus leaves which help to preserve the paddy flagrancy to which is added the flagrancy of lotus. Grilled green rice is produced in many parts of the country. But the best one comes from Vong Village (Tu Liem district, Hanoi City). Everybody follows the same methods, but Vong village has found and applied a formula which is kept secret – thanks to which its products surpass all others in quality and no confusion can be made between its grilled green rice and that of other places. In ancient times, grilled green rice and persimmon fruit were used as presents to the future parents-in-law. The two items match each other perfectly in terms of color, the grilled green rice is of green color like emerald, while the red color of the persimmon trees looks like red diamonds. In terms of taste, the grilled green rice is softly sweet, while the persimmon trees is strongly sweet, and the mixture of the two produces a harmonious taste. The grilled green rice can also be tasty when eaten with banana. It can also produce a tasty sweet soup if cooked with water and a moderate dose of sugar.