My Long in Ben Tre Province, Southern Vietnam is known for its rice paper cake because of its meaty, fragrant and simply delicious taste. Roasted over hot coal, the local delicacy is a favourite among locals and tourists alike with also three kinds to choose from, depending on one’s preference.
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Rice paper cake is made by first soaking the flour under water. Next, copra or dried coconut is then removed from the inside of the coconut. The rice flour is then husked and mixed with coconut milk. Early morning of the next day, the rice paper is coated and dried under natural sunlight.
There are three main types of rice paper cakes in My Long: Rice paper with coconut but no milk; Rice paper with milk but no coconut; And a special rice paper with coconut, milk and hen eggs. But there is also another kind of special rice paper which is rolled with meat, fish and shrimp.
While other provinces in the country also produce rice paper cakes, My Long’s recipe stands out from all the rest because of its one-of-a-kind rice that is especially soft and high standard coconut milk that can only be found in the area. In fact, My Long rice paper cake is so extraordinary that it also exports all around the world.
The stoves used in making rice paper cakes can be found in Nghia Huan. While the process appears simple, making rice paper cakes is a delicate work of art which requires special skills and genuine passion among its local people which made it a long-time tradition in My Long and to last for many more years to come to share to the world.