Ke Village Rice Cracker, a Rural Delight

A vendor gracefully holds a Ke rice cracker in one hand and a fan in the other, swaying over a charcoal stove. The crackers puff up, hot and fragrant with the breeze.

Once a simple dish from the rural countryside, Ke rice crackers have become an essential snack on the urban dining table. Renowned for their deliciousness, the ones from Ke Village in Bac Giang transform from a seemingly plain snack to a crispy, flavorful delight under the skilled hands of the villagers in Dinh Ke commune.

On sunny days passing through Dinh Ke, the sight of hundreds of round, white Ke rice crackers laid out to dry is a delightful scene along National Highway 1A, village roads, and alleyways. The people of Ke Village engage in rice cracker making throughout the year, especially during leisurely times.

Creating these flavorful local delicacies may seem simple at first glance but requires craftsmanship. The key ingredient is high-quality rice soaked to plumpness and finely ground into smooth, white flour. The crucial step is the rice paper coating, distinct from banh cuon, demanding special, skillful techniques.

Although similar to banh cuon, Ke rice crackers require a thicker coating as they are meant to be baked. The rice paper is coated twice, ensuring an even and flat layer. Skilled hands ensure uniformity as hundreds of rice crackers emerge from the oven, lifted ingeniously from the steamer and spread evenly on a bamboo tray.

In skilled hands, not a hundred theories can match the familiarity of a practiced touch when hundreds of rice crackers enter the oven, carefully controlled in both size and thickness. Ingeniously lifted from the steam using a large bamboo tube, the crackers are evenly spread on bamboo trays without a hint of tearing or warping.

A distinctive feature of Ke village rice crackers is the layer of sesame seeds on top. Therefore, before exposing the crackers, the villagers often generously sprinkle black sesame seeds and crushed peanuts on the steaming surface. However, not every sprinkle is equal. The sesame seeds and peanuts must be evenly distributed but concentrated in the center, ensuring perfect cooking during baking, enhancing both flavor and visual appeal.

Drying the crackers requires a technique honed over many years. The sun should not be too mild, nor too intense. When there is enough time for the surface to set but still remains soft, craftsmen must promptly remove the crackers to prevent sticking to the bamboo tray. They are then flipped to the other side and left to dry completely, achieving a crispy texture.

Before being sold, the crackers are baked over a red flame. The baking process not only cooks the crackers but also shapes them. Holding a rice cracker in one hand and a fan in the other, the baker fans evenly, continuously, flipping the crackers back and forth until they turn a golden brown, emanating a fragrant aroma. Occasionally, they pause to flatten any unevenness, ensuring each cracker is round and uniform.

Enjoying these rice crackers offers a taste of resilience, sweetness, crispiness, and fragrance. Indulging in this rustic gift is an experience of traditional culinary culture, reminiscent of rural markets in the midlands and Red River Delta. Here, mothers and grandmothers would often buy Ke village rice crackers as a gift for their children.

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Source: Travel guide from Mytour – As reported by Vnexpress