Com lam in Tay Bac

For the Thai, to cook the dish, it is necessary to select fresh bamboo tubes of a dark green colour which are cut into 30cm pieces and Nep cai hoa vang – a special variety of sticky rice of high quality and special flavor.

First, clean and soak glutinous rice in water for about six to eight hours before draining it. Mix the rice with ground ginger and a dash of salt before putting it into bamboo tubes and pouring water over the rice. To make the dish delicious, the rice does not need to fill the tube so the rice can become well-done.

Glutinous rice is cleaned and soaked in water for 6-8 hours before being put into bamboo tubes.

Putting rice into a bamboo tube.

Grilling Com lam on the fire.

The first layer of bamboo tube is peeled after the rice is cooked.

Delicious Com lam.

Lastly, tightly cover the tubes with a banana leaf before cooking over high heat.  When the aroma of the dish fills the space, it is done. Peel the tube’s green skin and leave a thin layer of bamboo. When serving, tear off the cover and enjoy it with Muoi vung, a mixture of roasted sesame seeds, peanuts and salt.

Com lam, a simple dish of the locals, is a must-have for tourists visiting Tay Bac.

By Tran Thanh Giang/ Vietnam Pictoral