Unique fried sticky rice in Dong Nai

Although not a traditional dish, puffed sticky rice has become popular throughout both the South and the North. This is probably due to the uniqueness of its appearance and the talent of the chefs in preparing this dish, making people remember the deliciousness of puffed sticky rice in Dong Nai whenever they mention it.

Sticky rice, a familiar dish to everyone, but different from the usual sticky rice, puffed sticky rice is prepared meticulously and elaborately. When people mention puffed sticky rice, they often think of Bien Hoa - Dong Nai, which is considered the birthplace of this unique dish. And the "mother" of puffed sticky rice is a chef at Dong Nai Hotel today (formerly Tan Hiep Quan restaurant) from decades ago.

Puffed sticky rice is not only found in high-end restaurants but has become so popular that it can be found in ordinary eateries and parties in the countryside. Most diners will be surprised and delighted to see a round, golden cake placed on the table and then the waiter will use scissors to poke it hard to create a "ball" of puffed sticky rice and then cut it into thin slices, often accompanied by baked chicken or roasted chicken with a sweet, rich, crispy taste.

The main ingredient to make puffed sticky rice is glutinous rice. What makes puffed sticky rice special compared to other types of sticky rice is that after the glutinous rice is cooked, the sticky rice is pounded and stuffed with sugar and mung beans, then fried until puffed. A delicious fried sticky rice dish must have round and evenly yellow puffed rice cakes, the sticky rice must not be hard but must be soft, with moderate toughness. When cut, the sticky rice must be thin, evenly yellow on both sides and not mushy. The stuffing and frying process are the two most important steps in making this dish. The fryer must be patient, skillful and rotate the sticky rice evenly to create round and evenly puffed sticky rice cakes, the sticky rice is golden on both the outside and inside, when cut there is no excess sticky rice, the sticky rice must be crispy when bitten but still retain the softness of the sticky rice, the light sweetness of sugar and the aroma of the combined ingredients.

In restaurants, eateries or culinary competitions, fried sticky rice is often placed in a visible position to show the sophistication and excitement in the preparation process, mainly for chefs to show off their talents and for diners to admire the transformation process from regular sticky rice and sugar into a large, round, unique sticky rice cake, causing a lot of curiosity. As many people have stood next to the fried sticky rice pan to watch, "just looking at it makes you want to try a piece".

With puffed sticky rice, eating is not only to fill your stomach but also to feel the meticulousness, skill, technique and soul of the chef, so puffed sticky rice is not only a dish but also a work of art. Puffed sticky rice is loved by diners both at home and abroad because it is not only a simple dish but also a work of art combined with a special and attractive flavor.

Because of these values, in early March 2023, the Vietnam Records Organization (VietKings) completed the nomination documents to send to the Asian Records Organization to recognize Dong Nai puffed fried sticky rice as one of the unique and famous dishes of Vietnam. In early April 2023, the Asian Records Organization officially recognized Dong Nai puffed fried sticky rice as achieving Asian record value according to its set of criteria.

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