The making of fermented soybean paste in Hung Yen

Recorded history indicates that soybean paste, thought to have emerged centuries ago, was an important condiment in Vietnamese meals. (Photo: VOV)

But Ban village’s soybean paste is not just any condiment. As it symbolizes prosperity, the paste is also an offering to ancestors in many local rituals and festivals to pray for health and prosperity. (Photo: VOV)

It doesn’t take exotic ingredients to make the paste, mainly just sticky rice and soybeans. What it does take however, is each household’s unique recipe and mastery of the craft. (Photo: VOV)

To make the paste, soybeans are soaked overnight and then cooked. They are then ground into a paste and mixed with cooked rice. (Photo: VOV)

Fermentation is a crucial step as it affects the final product's flavour, colour, and quality. (Photo: VOV)

The mixture of soybean paste and cooked rice is cooled, and then mixed with a fermentation starter. The fermentation process lasts about 2-3 days, allowing the unique flavors of the paste to develop. (Photo: VOV)

Before fermentation, the cooked sticky rice must be stirred everyday using chopsticks, to help loosen the rice grains and develop a uniform layer of mold. The moldy rice is then ground and mixed with soybeans, water, and spices. The mixture is left to ferment for at least 2-3 months. (Photo: VOV)

The more sunlight makes mixture ferment more quickly. Stirring the mixture everyday in the morning and the afternoon while it ferments helps add a smooth texture and a vibrant color to the mixture. (Photo: VOV)

Minh Quat, a local in Ban village, has made fermented soybean paste for years. About 800 jars, each with approximately 100-110 liters of fermented soybean paste, line up neatly in his backyard. (Photo: VOV)

In addition to the yellow-colored paste, Minh Quat’s workshop also makes black soy sauce. (Photo: VOV)

Black soy sauce is also made from soybeans. But after being fermented, the rice-soybean mixture is filtered and cooked, which results in the black coloring. (Photo: VOV)

Ban village’s fermented soybean paste in Hung Yen stands out among the many different types of soy sauce across Vietnam for its unique flavor and aroma. Against all odds, Ban villagers are working tirelessly to preserve the trade secret of making this unique dipping sauce. (Photo: VOV)

The making of fermented soybean paste in Hung Yen

08-11-2024 10:00

(VOVWORLD) - About 25 km from Hanoi, Ban village of My Hao District, Hung Yen province, is famous for its fermented soybean paste. The craft of making fermented soybean paste is a long-held, deep-rooted tradition of the Red Delta region.