Rice in the Mekong Delta
The majority of the rice cultivation takes place in the agriculturally prosperous Mekong Delta, commonly known as the “Rice Bowl” of Vietnam. Vietnam is also one of the global leaders in both rice production and exporting. In fact, an incredible 80% of the 17 million people who live in the region work in rice cultivation or a sector that is connected to it. With such a large supply of this essential food, rice is frequently consumed three meals a day, either plain or in rice-based dishes like noodles, pancakes, dumplings, paper, or wine.
How to make Crispy Puffed Rice
Crispy puffed rice snacks with many flavors is a famous specialty in the Delta. And anyone travelling through the region should definitely take advantage of the opportunity to witness its intriguing production process.
This decades-old method of making pop-rice involves adding whole grains of rice (with the husk) to a large wok-shaped pot filled with black Mekong River sand and frying it over an open flame. The rice then explodes into an explosive spectacle for the ears and eyes as the worker stirs the combination.
After that, the popped rice is filtered twice through a mesh screen, once to sift away the black sand and twice to remove the leftover rice husks (which are later used as fuel for the fire).
The crispy kernels are then transferred to another pan and mixed with a sweet binding agent. This pre-made syrup’s basic constituents are water and sugar, but other ingredients can be added for a variety of flavors, including caramel, green tea, coconut milk, ginger, or peanuts. The rice and liquid sugar are then immediately combined by two craftsmen using huge, wooden spatulas.
The finished mixture is flattened into a rectangle frame with a metal rolling pin while it is still hot and before it solidifies. Finally, it is cut into squares and packaged for selling.
Visit a local rice speciality workshop
The Mekong Delta is home to plenty of candy and rice factories that welcome visitors at any time. Visitors to these workshops may watch the making of rice paper, rice wine, coconut candy, and, of course, our famous pop rice treats. Using a traditional sampan boat, passengers on Mekong River Cruises often set out to explore beautiful Cai Be and its system of canals. The boat proceeds past the town’s iconic church that overlooks the river after seeing a floating market, and then stops by this intriguing workshop on land.
