Top 10 Best Expository Essays on Com Village's Green Rice

'Our beloved Hanoi, our cherished capital.' The familiar image of Thang Long remains etched in the hearts of every Vietnamese. With its 36 streets, the lotus-filled West Lake, the emerald waters of Hoan Kiem Lake, and the sweet scent of milk flowers...

But Hanoi's true allure also lies in its rich culinary culture, simple yet exquisite.

For centuries, Hanoi has been known for its unique delicacies: 'Com Vong, Me Tri rice, Bần soy sauce, Lang herbs—what could be more delightful?' While Bần soy sauce hails from Hung Yen province, the other three specialties come from the outskirts of Hanoi. Com was born in a unique and almost accidental way. An old folk song, whose origin is unknown, mentions com. Across the country, Com Vong is well-known as a Hanoi delicacy. To the people of Hanoi, it is a treasure, a point of pride, even sacred...

The story goes that during a particularly cold and hungry year, a family in Vong village, in the Dịch Vọng area of Cầu Giấy, was able to harvest a small batch of young sticky rice. In desperate need of food, they roasted the rice, and unexpectedly, the result was a delightful fragrance. This technique of roasting young rice spread from one family to another... Com was born from that moment. The best com is made from 'yellow flower sticky rice', a variety that dates back to the 13th century, as noted by Le Quy Don. This type of rice is known for its fragrant aroma. In the winter-spring season, when yellow flower rice is unavailable, a newer variety of sticky rice is used, which is less aromatic. Nevertheless, with skilled hands, the com is still delicious, still holds the hearts of many.

The craft of making Com Vong spread to neighboring villages such as Mai Dịch and Me Tri, and soon it became a specialty of Hanoi's 36 streets. Every year, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, when the weather turns crisp, Com appears. The full moon shines brightly, embracing the fields of rice, waiting for the October harvest. No one knows exactly when the name 'com' was coined—perhaps it is because of its similarity to 'cơm' (cooked rice), or simply because it is rice that isn't cooked, but roasted.

Com is sold all over the city. Women carrying baskets filled with com, balanced on a bamboo pole, offer their fragrant rice to passersby: 'Who wants yellow flower com...'

The aroma of com blends beautifully with the scent of lotus. When someone far from home holds a packet of com wrapped in lotus leaves, tied with a few green rice husks, they experience an indescribable feeling of nostalgia. It evokes memories of home, of standing by the ripening rice fields and the refreshing lotus ponds. The rural village appears in their mind, with an old mother bending from years of toil, and the fields stretching endlessly in vibrant green.

When opening the com packet, the fragrance of autumn fills the air. The green com kernels, sitting on the lotus leaves, give off a sweet scent of the harvest. Holding a few grains of com in your palm, you feel their lightness, their freshness.

I remember when I was young, my mother would often make com soup whenever there was a special occasion. My siblings and I would eagerly gather around, waiting for the pot of com to finish cooking. The com soup my mother made was simply the best.

Com pairs perfectly with bananas and boiled eggs in autumn. Sometimes, as I wander through the streets in the cool autumn air, I come across a few children sitting by a street vendor selling com, and my heart fills with quiet joy. The soul of Hanoi suddenly envelops me.

Today, com is used in many dishes like stir-fried com, com soup, com cakes, com cha, com ice cream, and com candy... Com continues to play a gentle role in Vietnamese cuisine, traveling across the country and even reaching beyond its borders.

Every autumn, visitors to Hanoi can't help but remember the sweet, fragrant taste of Com Vong, a humble yet elegant gift of nature that has been cherished by generations in the capital. The green com, wrapped in lotus leaves and infused with a delicate fragrance, represents the culinary soul of Hanoi in the fall.

Com Vong is not just a Vietnamese delicacy; it is one of Hanoi's most iconic specialties. This treat comes from Vong village (now part of Dịch Vọng Hậu ward, Cầu Giấy district, Hanoi), and has been passed down through the ages. The village itself has long been famous for this green rice, as reflected in a traditional saying:

'Com Vong, Me Tri rice,
Bần soy sauce, Lang herbs—what could be better?'

Hanoi's autumn scene is filled with the sight of women carrying baskets of com on their shoulders, weaving through the alleys. This humble gift of nature, with its fragrant sweetness, embodies the essence of rural life, offering a peaceful contrast to the bustling city. For many, the mention of com immediately brings to mind Vong village— a simple yet profound reminder of childhood and the enduring connection to Hanoi's cultural heart.

Com Vong is famous far and wide for its vibrant green hue, reminiscent of jade, and its tender, sweet grains. In the past, when the harvest season arrived, the rhythmic sound of pounding com filled the air like a rural symphony.

The green rice is made from a specific type of yellow flower sticky rice. It must be harvested at just the right time—not too early, as the rice would be too soft, and not too late, as the grains would become hard and lose their delicate flavor. The process of making com is intricate, with each grain encapsulating the care and effort of the Vong villagers.

As the rice turns golden in the fields, just ten days before harvest, the villagers select the best grains to prepare the com. Timing is crucial—if the rice is too mature, the grains will not remain green, but rather hard and broken. Conversely, if the rice is too young, the com will be sticky and lose its flavor.

The freshly harvested rice is threshed to separate the grains. After removing the husks and sorting out any defective grains, the rice is roasted in a pan. This is the most delicate part of the process, as the grains must be roasted evenly without becoming crispy. The heat must be carefully adjusted: high at first, then lowered when the rice turns a pale white. Stirring constantly ensures that the com is roasted to perfection.

Once the com is roasted, it is pounded in a special mortar, with slow, rhythmic strokes that make the grains smooth and chewy. After pounding, the com is sifted and placed in small baskets lined with lotus leaves, ready for sale in the streets.

The traditional packaging of Com Vong involves wrapping it in two layers: a protective inner layer of leaf to keep it fresh and prevent it from drying out, and an outer layer of lotus leaves to infuse the com with their refreshing fragrance. The bundle is secured with twine made from rice straw, ensuring both practicality and visual appeal.

Consuming Com Vong is a refined experience in itself. It is not a meal meant to fill you up but rather a delicate treat to be savored slowly. A small bundle of com, paired with a cup of green tea, is the perfect way to enjoy this Hanoi delicacy. This is not food for the impatient—Com must be eaten gently, a few grains at a time, letting the subtle sweetness and fragrant aroma unfold as you slowly savor each bite, as if you are walking through golden autumn sunlight, enjoying the cool breeze.

For true connoisseurs, Com is best paired with a fragrant cup of Thai Nguyen tea, or with ripe persimmons or bananas to enhance the natural sweetness. Com can be eaten with a spoon or chopsticks, but the true experience is to enjoy it with your fingers, allowing you to fully appreciate its pure taste without the interference of other materials like wood or metal.

Com Vong, with its fragrant lotus blossoms, the autumn wind, and the songs of Hanoi, creates an unforgettable fall in the capital, a cultural symbol deeply embedded in the hearts of the people of Hanoi, both past and present.

'Hanoi's autumn, with its golden star-fruit trees,
Red-leaved maples beside each other,
Old streets with ancient houses and brown tiled roofs,
Hanoi's autumn, the autumn of Hanoi,
The fragrance of milk flowers in the breeze,
The aroma of green com in the air,
Com by the street corners, the fragrance of every passing step.'
These soothing lines of poetry capture the deep longing we feel for Hanoi's autumn: the scent of milk flowers, the yellow star-fruit trees, red maple leaves, and, of course, the pervasive aroma of com.

Com is made from young sticky rice, with the best com being made from the golden-flowered sticky rice harvested in both the summer and autumn rice seasons. Com is usually made from the autumn rice, during late summer and early autumn (from the 15th day of the seventh month to the end of the ninth month of the lunar calendar). In some areas, like Goi field (Dịch Vọng, Từ Liêm, Hanoi), early rice can be harvested as early as April or May, and is called 'Com Chiêm.'

Located in the western part of Hanoi, Vong village in Dịch Vọng Hậu ward, Cầu Giấy district, has been renowned throughout Vietnam for its green rice. When you talk about Com Vong, it's not just any com—it's the flat, tender, and vibrant green com made from golden-flowered sticky rice that has been carefully processed. To create the perfect com, the rice must be harvested at the right time. When the rice is too mature, the com will lose its green color, become hard, and break apart. If harvested too early, the grains will stick to the husk and lose their flavor. Typically, the freshly harvested rice is roasted and pounded the same day to ensure the best texture and flavor.

The roasting process must be done at just the right temperature: not too high, so the com doesn’t become too crispy, and not too low, as the grains would fail to separate from the husk. The most difficult part of making com is to ensure that the grains are roasted evenly, so they cook just right without becoming brittle or losing their flavor. The rice is then pounded in a special mortar, with gentle, steady strokes to ensure it becomes smooth and chewy.

Hanoi's unique essence can also be found in the way com is prepared. After being processed, the com is carefully wrapped in either lotus leaves, which infuse the green rice with their delicate fragrance, or young, glossy water taro leaves. The bundles are then secured with strands of golden straw to preserve their freshness.

The vendors who sell com often dress in traditional attire, wearing conical hats and long tunics with lotus-leaf collars, carrying their goods on a traditional bamboo pole. These images, though now part of the past, remain a cherished representation of Hanoi’s past and present—an enduring symbol of the simplicity and beauty of the Com Vong tradition.

As you walk through the streets of Hanoi in autumn, you can often catch a faint scent of com carried on the breeze. The city’s crisp air, golden leaves, white flowers, and the fresh, green com all blend together to create a breathtaking view, stirring a deep sense of nostalgia and longing for the fall season in Hanoi.

Com is not just a treat found in Hanoi, but a beloved delicacy across the entire country. It is made from young sticky rice, which is at its sweetest and most fragrant when it is still in the milky stage. While there are many variations of com, like the flat com of the South or the com from Mễ Trì, when one mentions Hanoi, it is the com from Vong village that comes to mind.

It is unclear exactly when com became a treasured gift of nature, but it has long been associated with the autumn season in Hanoi. The fragrance of fresh rice mingles with the delicate scent of lotus, signaling the arrival of the com season. In the past, you could only enjoy com in the fall, around August and September. But now, thanks to modern production, you can find fresh com year-round in Hanoi, wrapped in leaves as green as jade. However, the true connoisseur, especially a Hanoi native, knows that the best time to enjoy com is during the season of ripe sấu fruit, when the com is at its peak flavor. Eating com during this time is not just a snack, it is an experience, allowing one to savor the essence of autumn with each bite of sweet, fresh com.

Making com is not difficult, but crafting the perfect sticky, vibrant green rice that retains the full flavor of the young grain is no simple task. The best com comes from golden sticky rice that is still in the milky stage, fat and sweet. After carefully selecting the rice, it is pounded until smooth, then roasted, pounded again, sifted, and dried. Each step transforms the young rice into the perfect green com, and requires great skill and attention. A slight misstep in force or temperature, and the com could end up too dry, too crispy, or lacking its flavor. So, the process is not just a craft, it’s an art form.

Com isn’t just eaten on its own; it must be wrapped in fresh lotus leaves and tied with soft straw, sometimes served alongside ripe bananas or red persimmons to enhance its taste. However, the most preferred way to enjoy com is wrapped in lotus leaves, as the subtle scent of lotus blends beautifully with the com, creating a delicate and pure flavor that captures the essence of autumn. Late August, when the rice is at its best and the lotus leaves are thickest, is the optimal time to enjoy this treat.

Eating com is an art in itself. As the writer Thạch Lam once noted, 'Com is not for those in a hurry; you must eat it slowly, savoring each bite. Only then can you truly taste autumn in its essence—the fragrant smell of fresh rice, the wildflowers by the riverbanks…' That’s why people enjoy com in small, measured amounts, relishing its soft, sweet, and fragrant texture. Com loses its freshness if stored in the fridge, becoming dry, hard, and unpleasant to chew. It’s a taste that must be enjoyed fresh, in the moment, as it is meant to capture the essence of nature.

Com is not only a delicious snack, but also an ingredient in some of Hanoi’s most iconic dishes. There are com-filled sticky rice balls, golden and fluffy; savory com cakes with a crispy crust and a soft, chewy center; and square com cakes, sometimes overlooked but still delightful. These dishes demonstrate the culinary creativity of Hanoi’s people, who have taken a humble gift from nature and transformed it into something extraordinary.

In the past, com was only sold in Hanoi’s old streets, such as Hàng Than, Hàng Cân, and Hàng Đường. Nowadays, you can find it in every corner of the city, but true enthusiasts still seek out the original Com Vong, typically bought fresh in the early morning when the com is still warm and wrapped in fresh lotus leaves, carefully tied with golden straw.

Com is a traditional specialty of Vietnam, and Com from Vong Village is considered one of the most famous and special varieties. Hidden in Vong Village, one of Hanoi's oldest Com-making villages, Com from Vong is not only a delicious dish but also a symbol of the meticulous effort and passion of its makers.

Com is made from fragrant sticky rice and undergoes several delicate steps in its preparation. However, Com from Vong stands out because its production is entirely hand-crafted, without any automated processes. This manual approach results in a distinct taste and quality that sets it apart from other types of Com.

Each step in making Com from Vong requires precision and care, from selecting the rice, to steaming it, and even the careful roasting and frying of the Com. These processes demand not only skill but also dedication and passion from the artisans. This unique craftsmanship gives Com from Vong its exclusive character and top-tier quality, making it a distinguished specialty.

More than just a delicacy, Com from Vong is also a part of the cultural and historical heritage of Vietnam. Over the years, it has become a meaningful gift during festivals and special occasions for the Vietnamese people. Com from Vong is not just a treat for the taste buds, but also a symbol of elegance and the unity of the traditional village community.

In conclusion, Com from Vong is not only a delicious specialty but also a symbol of the artistry and meticulous work of its makers. With its uniqueness and high quality, Com from Vong continues to contribute to the allure and beauty of Vietnamese culinary culture.

Among the traditional Vietnamese culinary products, Com from Vong Village stands out as a renowned delicacy with a long history dating back to the ancient times of Vong Village in Tien Phuong, Thach That District, Hanoi. Com from Vong is not only a tasty treat but also carries deep cultural values and reflects the spirit of unity within the Vong community.

Com from Vong is made using fragrant sticky rice, chicken eggs, coconut, and a pinch of salt, through a careful and meticulous process. The preparation of Com in Vong Village is considered a high-level craft, requiring great focus and skill from the experienced artisans. The resulting Com is soft, sweet, smooth, and incredibly fragrant, creating a memorable and unique flavor.

Beyond its delicious taste, Com from Vong symbolizes the connection and love within families. The process of making Com is often done in a cheerful atmosphere, accompanied by folk music and family conversations. The entire Vong Village joyfully shares the Com with one another, fostering a warm and close-knit community spirit.

Furthermore, Com from Vong is a cultural symbol, an essential part of the Vietnamese village heritage. The art of making Com has become a distinct feature and an inseparable part of Vong's culinary culture, while also providing a livelihood for many local families.

In conclusion, Com from Vong is not only a delightful dish but also embodies the cultural values and the spirit of unity in the Vong community. With its unique flavor and deep meaning, Com from Vong continues to contribute to the traditional and special beauty of Vietnamese cuisine.

Com from Vong Village is a traditional, renowned variety of Com originating from Vong Village, located in Dong Anh District, Hanoi, Vietnam. Made from sticky rice, Com is not only a delicious treat but also a cultural symbol that carries the beauty and pride of the Vietnamese people.

Com from Vong is made using freshly harvested young sticky rice, which is soaked in water, processed, and then finely ground. The rice is then cooked and steamed using traditional methods unique to the Vong villagers. This careful and precise process creates soft, smooth, and fragrant grains of Com that are irresistibly delicious.

One of the key features of Com from Vong is its distinctive fragrance and the delicate sweetness of the sticky rice, combined with the unique flavor of fresh banana leaves. This creates a one-of-a-kind taste that is hard to forget. Additionally, Com from Vong is highly nutritious, packed with essential nutrients such as proteins, carbohydrates, and various vitamins.

More than just a delicious dish, Com from Vong is a symbol of unity and cultural pride for the people of Vong Village. Each grain of Com carries the essence of time and tradition, making it an integral part of both festivals and daily meals for the Vietnamese people.

In conclusion, Com from Vong is not only a tasty treat but also a cultural emblem and a source of national pride. With its unique flavor and high nutritional value, Com from Vong has become a famous delicacy, beloved both within Vietnam and around the world.

Each autumn, the streets of Hanoi are filled with the delicate aroma of Com from Vong Village, a simple yet sophisticated treat that has been cherished by generations of locals. The green Com, with its fresh, sweet scent of young rice, wrapped in lotus leaves, carries an air of tranquility and elegance that leaves anyone who tastes it feeling nostalgic and moved.

In autumn, Hanoi is characterized by women balancing baskets of Com on their shoulders, weaving through narrow streets, bringing the rural charm to the heart of the bustling city. The fragile green grains of Com, sweet and fragrant, encapsulate the essence of the earth, the sky, and the sun's warmth, evoking a deep sense of longing. When talking about Com, people immediately think of Vong Village, where this humble yet cherished snack is inseparably tied to the childhood memories and adulthood of many people from the ancient city of Hanoi.

According to the elders, the history of Com from Vong dates back over a thousand years. It all began when a storm flooded the rice fields, and villagers, unwilling to let their labor go to waste, gathered the unripe rice and roasted it to stave off hunger. To their surprise, the immature rice, usually thought to be bland, turned out to have a delicious, sweet, and sticky flavor. This discovery led to a tradition of harvesting young rice each year to make Com, a special treat for the villagers.

Com from Vong is famous for its jade-green color, its chewy texture, and the sweet, milk-like flavor of the young sticky rice. In the past, when the harvest season arrived, the village would resonate with the rhythmic sound of pestles grinding Com, like a rural symphony.

Visiting the village and witnessing the process of making Com firsthand reveals the meticulous effort involved. The making of Com requires many steps, each requiring great care and dedication. When the rice is just about to ripen, but not yet fully matured, the villagers select the best grains for making Com. Timing is critical – if the rice is too old, the Com will become tough and broken, and if the rice is too young, the grains will stick to the husk, making it inedible. After harvesting, the rice is threshed, roasted, and pounded on the same day. The skilled women carefully sort the grains and roast them in a thick iron pan to ensure even heat distribution. The roasting process is an art in itself: the fire must be strong at first, but once the rice turns pale, the heat must be reduced. The roasting must be done with care, as even a slight mistake can ruin the texture of the Com.

Once the Com is roasted, it is pounded gently in a special mortar, and the rhythm of the pestle is key to achieving the perfect texture. After the pounding, the Com is sifted and placed in baskets lined with lotus leaves before being sold in the streets of Hanoi.

True Com from Vong is wrapped in two layers of leaves. The inner layer, made from the stems of water lilies, keeps the Com fresh, while the outer layer of lotus leaves adds a delicate fragrance to the snack, making it even more inviting. Finally, two soft strings of rice stalks are tied around the package to hold it together and make it more aesthetically pleasing.

The process of preparing Com is as careful as the way it is enjoyed. Com is not a meal but a treat meant to be savored slowly. A small package of Com, enjoyed with a cup of green tea and shared among friends while watching the city pass by, is truly a simple pleasure.

The proper way to enjoy fresh Com is by gently taking a small amount between five fingers, placing it in the mouth, and savoring the chewy texture, the fragrant taste, and the sweetness that lingers as you chew. It’s like walking through the golden autumn sunlight and feeling the cool breeze, letting each bite transport you to the peaceful beauty of Hanoi.

In Hanoi, fresh Com is often paired with two fruits that complement it perfectly: ripe bananas with spots resembling eggs from a cuckoo bird and persimmons. The combination of these flavors – the soft, sticky Com, the sweet bananas, and the mild fragrance of the lotus leaves – creates a refined and unexpectedly delightful treat.

Com from Vong is truly a gift from nature, a precious offering from the farmers, and it remains a treasured symbol of the autumn season in Hanoi. Anyone from the city, whether near or far, cannot help but miss it when they leave, and long for it upon their return.

When you visit Hanoi, no one can forget a famous delicacy, a treat made from young rice. This simple yet elegant treat is known as 'Com of Vong Village.' Over time, this dish has become intertwined with Hanoi's autumn, becoming a nostalgic symbol for people who leave the city.

It is unclear when the tradition of making Com from Vong Village began, as it is passed down through generations. Long ago, during one autumn season, when rice was beginning to ripen, a heavy rainstorm caused flooding, and the rice fields were submerged. The people of Vong Village harvested the still-green rice and roasted it, creating a unique flavor that became a local delicacy. Over time, this accidental treat became a seasonal favorite, and the people of Vong Village perfected the process, making the Com more flavorful, thinner, and more fragrant. Vong Village Com eventually traveled beyond the village, becoming a royal delicacy during the Ly Dynasty (1009 – 1225), a sophisticated snack adored by the people of Thang Long. The Com harvest lasts for almost three months, from the 1st day of the 7th lunar month. Vong Village has four hamlets, but only two—Vong Hau and Vong So—produce the prized Com. The Com is made from a special variety of sticky rice called 'Nếp cái hoa vàng.' The rice grains are smaller and rounder than regular rice, and when tasted, they have a subtle sweetness that lingers on the tongue, reminiscent of milk. The Com is made from young rice harvested from fields in Vong Village, now located between two major roads in Hanoi: Xuan Thuy and Lang – Hoa Lac. There are two harvests of Com each year: the main crop and the off-season crop. The off-season crop only yields Com in April, and it's not as desirable. To taste the best Com, one must wait for the main crop, which begins in July and lasts until October, coinciding with Hanoi's autumn season.

The process of making Com is labor-intensive, and while many rural areas can make it, none produce it as well as Vong Village. The villagers are meticulous in their method. First, they grow the rice and wait for the grains to reach the 'milk' stage before harvesting them. The rice must be carefully handpicked, never threshed or pounded. After harvesting, the rice is roasted in a pot, initially over a low flame. As the grains turn pale, the heat is reduced, and the rice is constantly stirred to ensure even roasting. After about thirty minutes, a test is conducted by placing a few grains on a wooden surface and pressing them with the thumb. If some grains crack but others remain intact, the roasting is complete. The roasted rice must be pounded immediately while it is still warm to preserve its texture. The pounding must be done gently to avoid crushing the grains. The final product can be categorized into different types: Com La Me, Com Rot, Com Moc, and regular Com. Com La Me is the rarest type, made from delicate rice sprouts that resemble the shape of a leaf and are often only consumed by the maker. The next best type is Com Rot, formed when the grains naturally clump together after pounding. The quantity of Com Rot is small, and it becomes increasingly scarce as the season progresses. The last type is Com Moc, which is made from the late harvest and is used for dry roasting or simple preparations for the next season.

The sweetness, fragrance, and natural green color of the Com depend on the harvest's timing. By the end of the season, Com Moc is larger and harder, and is typically roasted dry or used for quick consumption until the next harvest. Genuine Com Moc has a greenish hue mixed with golden tones, but Com that has been artificially enhanced looks overly green, with a bitter aftertaste. Every autumn, women from Vong Village can be seen walking the streets with baskets full of fresh Com, calling out 'Ai Com day' (Who wants Com?), a familiar sound in Hanoi.

Fresh Com from Vong is best enjoyed immediately, but it can also be preserved for a few days if carefully wrapped in both arrowroot leaves and lotus leaves. The lotus leaves help maintain the fragrance, while the arrowroot leaves prevent the Com from drying out and losing its color. When wrapped in lotus leaves, the Com tastes even better than when wrapped in other types of leaves. Gourmets savor Vong Com with a cup of Thai Nguyen tea or pair it with ripe persimmons and bananas. As the writer Thach Lam describes, 'The bright green color of the Com is like jade, and the red of the persimmon resembles a ripe pomegranate. The perfect harmony of subtlety and sweetness.' (Thach Lam – 'Hanoi's 36 Streets'). Com is also used in various delicious dishes such as Com sticky rice, Com dessert soup, and Com cakes. One famous delicacy that represents Hanoi is the Com Cake from Hang Than Street. The cake, made from Vong Com stir-fried with sugar and fat, is filled with a mixture of mashed mung beans, sugar, and shredded coconut, wrapped in square shapes with banana leaves, and tied with red strings. The red strings symbolize love and connection, making Com Cake a popular gift at weddings, symbolizing wishes for a sweet and happy life. During Tet (Lunar New Year), Hanoians often send Com Cakes as gifts to family and friends as a token of goodwill.

Com is not just a tasty treat, but a symbol of the delicate and pure nature of Hanoi, and it is often used in rituals, including offerings to ancestors, temple ceremonies, and weddings. The Com cake is regarded as a wedding cake, serving as a substitute for the traditional red invitation cards. Thus, this humble yet elegant gift from the rural fields of Vietnam has found its place in Hanoi's autumn and in the poetic imagery of the city:

'…Hanoi in the autumn; The autumn of Hanoi, When the milk flower blooms; Fragrance fills the breeze, When the Com is green; Sweet and fragrant, The Com from the sidewalk; Fragrance as you walk by…'

Com is a unique gift from Hanoi and Vietnam, encapsulating the diligence, perseverance, and creativity of the agricultural people who make it.

Every autumn, the scent of Com fills the air in Hanoi. Com has long been a cherished delicacy in Hanoi, loved by the people of the capital, carrying with it the unique taste of the city, requiring a refined appreciation to truly enjoy.

'Hanoi in the autumn, Hanoi's autumn, When the milk flower blooms, its fragrance carried by the breeze. The green Com returns, its fragrance lingering on small hands, Com from the sidewalk, its scent following your steps...,' these lyrics by the late musician Trinh Cong Son have become the soulful greeting of Hanoi's autumn!

These melodic lines evoke a nostalgic yearning for Hanoi's autumn—its milk flowers, golden rice, the red leaves of the banyan trees, and of course, the strong aroma of Com.

Com is made from young sticky rice, with the best variety being made from 'Nếp cái hoa vàng' rice during both the off-season and main harvest. Traditionally, the Com made from the main harvest is prepared in late summer to early autumn (from the 15th of the 7th lunar month to the end of September). In April and May, some places like Goi fields (Dich Vong, Tu Liem, Hanoi) already have early rice and sell a type of Com known as 'Com Chiem.'

Located in the western part of Hanoi, Vong Village in the Dich Vong Hau ward of Cau Giay district is renowned across the country for its Com. The Com of Vong is distinctively flat and light green, made from the Nếp cái hoa vàng rice after the 'milk' stage. Creating the perfect Com requires many precise steps. When the rice begins to turn golden and will be harvested in ten days, the people of Vong Village select the best ears of rice to begin the process. The timing of the harvest is crucial; if the rice is too mature, the Com grains become tough and lose their bright green color. If the rice is too young, the grains will stick to their husks and lose their delicate flavor. Typically, the rice is roasted and pounded on the same day it is harvested. Roasting must be done with just the right heat, ensuring the grains are perfectly cooked—soft yet not too crispy—and the husks separate cleanly. This is the most difficult part of making Com. The pounding is done with a special mortar, and the rhythm must be slow, steady, and gentle to ensure the Com is smooth and chewy.

Carrying the essence of Hanoi’s flavor, Com is traditionally wrapped in lotus leaves, which preserve the pure fragrance of the lotus flower, or in arrowroot leaves, which are fresh and smooth, then tied with golden straw. The women selling Com still wear traditional clothes—headscarves and áo dài with lotus collar styles—and carry their baskets on their shoulders, with a bundle of green straw tied to the carrying poles. Even though this image has largely faded, it remains a beautiful and poetic symbol of Hanoi’s Com-making tradition.

Today, as you walk through the streets of Hanoi, the delicate scent of Com often drifts on the wind. Hanoi in autumn is indeed beautiful, with its vibrant yellow leaves, white flowers, and the tender green of Com creating a stunning scene that stirs deep emotions and a longing for nature’s serene beauty!