The Flavor of Lam Tea in the Oldest Village in Vietnam

The name 'lam tea' has often misled many into thinking it's a tea, but in reality, it's a type of cake.

In the past, lam tea was only made during Tet as a simple yet elegant dish, but now it's made and sold year-round.

A quick Google search for 'lam tea' yields over 1 million results in just 0.46 seconds. According to Wikipedia, lam tea is a specialty of Vinh Loc district, Thanh Hoa province. However, when visiting the oldest village in Vietnam - Duong Lam (Son Tay town, Hanoi), lam tea is made and sold everywhere in the village. Alongside other local treats like peanut candy, dồi chó candy, oản, and roasted rice, lam tea has become a quintessential gift of the Northern countryside, nestled along the serene Red River.

Visiting the ancient village of Duong Lam in any season of the year, one can easily catch the fragrant aroma of fresh sticky rice, ginger, malt, and roasted peanuts, emanating from households still engaged in traditional crafts, including making lam tea. Over red-hot stoves, batches of lam tea are skillfully crafted by nimble yet strong hands of mothers and sisters.

While each place has its own recipe, the ingredients for lam tea remain consistent: cane sugar, malt, fresh ginger, roasted sticky rice powder, and roasted peanuts. These simple ingredients, deeply rooted in pure agricultural life, when combined, create a rural delicacy that leaves an indelible mark on one's memory, encapsulating the essence of the countryside. It's a taste that resonates with the soul of the homeland for those who have ventured far away.

Sticky rice used in making lam tea is typically golden flower or fragrant sticky rice – specialty rice varieties. Quality rice, when roasted and ground into powder, releases a more intense aroma when cooked. Other ingredients like fresh ginger are carefully selected, with mature ginger offering both spiciness and fragrance. In the past, people in Duong Lam often used brown sugar cane syrup, but now, with the scarcity of cane syrup, white sugar can be used as a substitute, albeit with slight differences in taste.

The cooking stage of lam tea is crucial as skilled artisans know how to weigh, scoop, measure, and count each ingredient to ensure the perfect balance. On the charcoal stove sits a pot of water with clean, peeled, and crushed ginger. Sugar, malt, roasted peanuts, plus a pinch of salt are added simultaneously.

Everything is simmered over medium heat, stirring thoroughly to dissolve the sugar, blend with the malt and ginger without burning. When everything has melded into a shiny yellowish mixture, almost like glue, it's time for the most crucial step: sprinkling the powder.

Roasted sticky rice powder, finely ground, is evenly poured into the pot of water, stirring continuously. Interestingly, those who have never seen lam tea makers worry that pouring the powder onto the hot water will cause it to clump together. However, because the powder is made from ripe roasted sticky rice, each addition blends seamlessly into the mixture, creating a smooth texture.

Skilled artisans will know the proper amount of powder to create the ideal elasticity for lam tea. Too little powder results in sticky, clumping tea, while too much makes the tea harden quickly, lacking softness when eaten. Therefore, the most crucial step is adding the powder and stirring quickly. Only strong hands can fully perform this task, sometimes even requiring the hands of a man.

Once all the ingredients are cooked, when the mixture is thick and elastic, it can be stopped as the batch of lam tea is complete. In some regions like Thanh Hoa, lam tea is not made with ground roasted sticky rice powder but instead with water powder, filtered through a cloth bag and then dried. Each time tea is brewed, this powder is used for processing.

Once the cooking stage is complete, the lam tea will be poured onto trays that have been covered with a thick layer of rice powder. This layer of powder is also the roasted sticky rice powder used as an ingredient in making tea. When the tea has cooled completely, sharp knives are used to cut it into rectangular pieces measuring 1.5×5 cm, evenly coated in the layer of powder. This powder layer acts like a white powder coating on the outside, preventing the tea pieces from sticking together.

Even as industrialization progresses and modern machinery advances, lam tea is still made entirely by hand using traditional methods. Duong Lam village has many households making lam tea, each with its own recipe, its own secret, although the ingredients are the same. A piece of lam tea meeting requirements is moderately elastic, not sticky; sweet and fragrant; with a spicy and strong aroma of ginger along with the rich taste of roasted peanuts.

Lam tea is best enjoyed on windy days, with the north wind blowing alongside hot fragrant tea cups. Taking a bite of lam tea, sipping a mouthful of tea, you can feel all the essence, the soul of the countryside melting in your mouth. When visiting Duong Lam, whether stopping by any landmark: the Mía Pagoda, the Bố Cái Đại Vương Phùng Hưng Temple, the tomb of King Ngô Quyền, or stepping into the ancient houses, you all have the opportunity to enjoy this specialty.

In the space of houses that are 300-400 years old, while enjoying lam tea, listening to the homeowners recount stories from the pioneering days, the establishment of villages, you will understand even more why Duong Lam, with its simplicity and tranquility, captivates travelers from all directions. For those who have wandered far from their homeland, the warmth of the people becomes even more cherished.

Source: Zing News

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Reference: Travel Guide by Mytour