Phu Thuong, previously known as Ga village, has gained recognition for its delectable steamed sticky rice. The art of cooking sticky rice in this village has an unknown origin, but its vast fields of premium quality sticky rice, thanks to the Hong River’s water and fertile silt, make it the perfect ingredient for their culinary specialty.
Phu Thuong villagers put great effort and dedication into creating delicious sticky rice dishes.
Currently, there are three skilled artisans and approximately 600 households involved in this craft in Phu Thuong. The villagers have established their own brand and have showcased their sticky rice in various markets, festivals, and events across the country.
The Phu Thuong Sticky Rice Festival is held annually for three days on the 8th, 9th, and 10th days of the first lunar month, which falls on February 17, 18, and 19 this year.
During the festival, local residents perform the New Rice Ceremony, where they offer their homemade sticky rice dishes to the village’s patron saint as a sign of gratitude and to seek blessings for a prosperous harvest. Families also prepare che ba cot (a traditional sweet rice cake) to offer on the ancestral altar at home, expressing gratitude to their ancestors and wishing for good health and prosperity.
The festival also includes a sticky rice cooking contest and display, showcasing various types of sticky rice for visitors from all over the country to enjoy.
According to Bu Thi Lan Phuong, the deputy chairwoman of Tay Ho People’s Committee, the district has been supportive in recent years in preserving the traditional craft and improving the local livelihood of Phu Thuong village.
On December 30, 2016, the municipal People’s Committee officially recognized the village as the traditional sticky rice village. Phu Thuong sticky rice was among the 12 specialty dishes served at the Media Centre during the US-DPRK Summit in Hanoi in 2019. The district has also been focused on upgrading the village’s infrastructure.
“In the near future, Phu Thuong sticky rice will not only be a famous culinary delight enjoyed throughout the country, but the village will also become an attractive destination for visitors from both domestically and internationally. This will contribute to improving the material and spiritual lives of the local residents,” Phuong said.
“Additionally, it will actively promote the image of Tay Ho district, its captivating tourist destinations, traditional festivals, intangible cultural heritage, and culinary cultural products.”
