Experience the charm of Vân Cù noodle village with over 400 years of history

Vân Cù noodle village is renowned for its traditional craft of producing delicate, elastic, and fragrant vermicelli, distinct from noodles elsewhere, prominently featured in the famous Hue beef noodle dish.

Embark on a journey to the historic Vân Cù noodle village with a history spanning more than 400 years

Located north of the city of Huế, along the southern bank of the Bồ River, Vân Cù village has long been famous for its silky white vermicelli, delivered daily to markets, eateries, and restaurants across the province, contributing to the reputation of Hue beef noodles.

In Vân Cù noodle village, almost every household lights up early in the morning to prepare noodles for the market. To have the ingredients ready in the early morning, noodle makers must soak, grind rice, and prepare everything the night before.

Creating the perfect vermicelli involves numerous meticulous steps. Each step requires its own secrets to produce delicious noodles. The type of rice used plays a crucial role in achieving the perfect end product.

Khang Dan rice, a local rice variety, is the choice for crafting this culinary masterpiece. It's not the most expensive grain, but a simple short-day rice cultivated by locals for sustenance. This rice doesn't need to be fancy, but it must be clean, moderately dry, neither too dry nor too moist.

Rice is meticulously soaked to cleanse it from impurities, followed by a final rinse with cold water to ensure absolute purity. Then comes the rice milling stage. In the past, vermicelli was produced using traditional methods, a laborious process that consumed much time and effort.

Over time, Van Cu vermicelli village has undergone significant transformations. The community now saves time and effort, transitioning from manual vermicelli production to modern machinery. This not only saves time and effort but also guarantees quality, food safety, and notably increased productivity.

In Van Cu vermicelli village, there are approximately 160 households, constituting 50% of the village's total households. Every day, the vermicelli kilns in the craft village supply over 22 tons of various vermicelli types to the market. Some households produce as little as 1-2 tons, while others go beyond, reaching 3-4 tons per day.

Since vermicelli has a limited shelf life, it must be consumed on the same day to preserve its delightful flavor. Quick consumption is crucial for the residents of the vermicelli craft village in Hue.

After the morning batches of vermicelli come out of the kilns, locals often transport them to various vermicelli collection points in Van Cu village for distribution. Once the deliveries are complete, residents receive immediate payment, facilitating faster and easier consumption. Each collection point handles around 1 to 2 tons of vermicelli per day, distributing them throughout the city of Hue.

Currently, Thua Thien – Hue province has invested in a wastewater system stretching over 3km throughout Van Cu village. As a result, Van Cu village consistently ensures environmental hygiene during the vermicelli-making process.

From the traditional vermicelli baskets that have long been intertwined with the village's craftsmanship, Van Cu village has undergone significant changes, with the residents' lives flourishing. Every day, the locals experience joy in being connected to the region's traditional trade.

After many years of development, the art of vermicelli making has undergone subtle changes, leading to the transformation of the traditional craft village landscape in the former imperial city. Van Cu is now a prosperous, vibrant countryside, all thanks to the small, resilient vermicelli strands created from the 'pearls' of the village.

As reported by Mytour

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Reference: Travel guide by Mytour