Rice cake cooking contest thrills visitors to Hung Kings Temple Festival
A cooking contest spotlighting Vietnam’s traditional rice cakes has stirred excitement in Phu Tho as part of the northern province’s ongoing signature Hung Kings Temple Festival.
Phu Tho (VNA) – A cooking contest spotlightingVietnam’s traditional rice cakes has stirred excitement in Phu Tho as part ofthe northern province’s ongoing signature Hung Kings Temple Festival.
Taking place on April 16 or the 8th day of thethird lunar month, the competition saw the participation of 13 teamsrepresenting 13 districts and townships in Phu Tho province.
Regarding the category of “banh chung” (squareglutinous rice cake), teams are set to compete in making 10 cakes from 5kg ofglutinous rice, 1kg of green beans, and 1kg of pork within a maximum time of 10minutes, with the boiling process lasting for five hours.
In the category of “banh giay” (round glutinousrice cake), artisans had to cook 5kg of glutinous rice into sticky rice in 30minutes at the maximum, and then pound and shape them into 10 cakes in no morethan 15 minutes.
The contest aimed to reenact the traditionalritual of presenting offerings to ancestors dating back to the time of HungKings. It is an opportunity to honour products made from rice, expressgratitude and respect to the merit of the Hung Kings, and connect people ofvarious ethnic groups in the province.
This year, the festival, one of the country’slargest annual cultural and religious events to commemorate its legendaryfounders, lasts from April 9-18.
The commemoration of the Hung Kings is a nationalholiday that takes place annually on the 10th day of the third lunar month,which falls on April 18 this year. The practice of worshiping them in Phu Thowas recognised by UNESCO as part of the world's intangible cultural heritage in2012./.
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At the cooking contest (Photo: VNA) 
