Culinary quintessence of the Mong people

In the windy rocky plateau, where Mong villages appear and disappear among the clouds, men men is not only a dish but also the soul of the village, a simple harmony between people and nature, a cultural symbol imbued with Mong ethnic identity.

Women in the highlands of Tuyen Quang province harvest and hang corn after the crop season. Photo: PV

Men men is processed entirely by hand from corn kernels, a staple food on high mountain slopes, steep land, and harsh climates where rice cannot be grown. After harvesting, corn is dried, separated from the kernels, and put into a stone mortar to be ground into flour. The Mong people still maintain the practice of using human power to pound and grind the flour, partly to preserve tradition, and partly to preserve the unique flavor that machines cannot replace. After being ground, the corn flour is moistened and then steamed twice in a wooden steamer - a process that requires meticulousness and experience.

Men men has a simple yet strange flavor because of the rich aroma of corn, soft and delicious. Men men is closely associated with the lifestyle, beliefs and concepts of the Mong people. It is a dish offered to ancestors on important holidays, a rice ball that people who go to the forest carry with them, a gift from mothers wrapped in banana leaves for their children to bring to the market. Through each layer of soft men men, there are many memories, beliefs and the hard work of Mong women "breathing life" into each family meal.

Nowadays, while the life of the people of the Stone Plateau is gradually developing, for the people of the Stone Plateau, Men Men is still a dish of identity and origin. With its simplicity and rusticity, Men Men not only feeds many generations on the Stone Plateau, but also contributes to the unique appearance of the culinary culture of the ethnic groups in the highlands.

Lighthouse

Source: https://baotuyenquang.com.vn/van-hoa/am-thuc/202508/tinh-hoa-am-thuc-cua-dong-bao-mong-3af1047/