According to many people in Ngoc Lien commune, Ngoc Lac district, Thanh Hoa province, the craft of making dong vermicelli has existed in the locality for a long time. Local people often say: "Whenever you see dong vermicelli, it means Tet". Dong vermicelli in Ngoc Lien commune is made and consumed the most during the Lunar New Year every year.
Ms. Trinh Thi Nhung (a long-time vermicelli maker in Ngoc Lien commune, Ngoc Lac district) said that every year around January and February, the cassava plant is often planted in local fields. By the beginning of the 10th lunar month, the cassava roots are ripe, and households are busy harvesting them to prepare them for making vermicelli.
The process of making cassava vermicelli is quite elaborate. After being harvested, cassava tubers will be washed, roots removed, and then put into a grinder. The mixture after grinding will be filtered many times to remove dirt, until the water is clear, and the powder will settle. This starch will be dried to obtain the purest cassava powder.
“After being pre-processed, soaked, and filtered of impurities, arrowroot powder will be spread into cakes. The cake spreading stage is the most important step, because this stage is completely manual and the cake must be spread at a high temperature to ensure the noodles are cooked evenly, producing the best quality noodles,” Ms. Nhung shared.
According to Ms. Nhung, this year her family planted 4 sao of cassava, yielding about 30 tons of tubers. Each ton of tubers produces about 100 kg of cassava vermicelli. In the days leading up to Tet, her family had to work day and night and hire more workers to ensure the number of orders placed by customers.
Mr. Dao Van Thang (in Ngoc Lien commune, Ngoc Lac district) shared that the traditional craft of making dong vermicelli in the locality had a difficult time competing with industrially produced dong vermicelli products on the market with cheap prices. However, with the determination to preserve the traditional craft and its own unique features, dong vermicelli here is still developing well.
“To ensure quality products and retain customers, we always adhere to principles such as: no bleaching chemicals, no colorants, no preservatives. The vermicelli is mostly handmade. When eaten, the vermicelli is not hard, has a natural crunchiness and toughness and retains the aroma of arrowroot. During Tet, arrowroot vermicelli always becomes a favorite dish not only for adults but also for children,” said Mr. Thang.
According to Mr. Thang, in the past, when there were no supporting machines, households made vermicelli with very low productivity. However, in recent years, households have invested in additional supporting machines such as: cassava washing machines, flour mills and fiber rolling machines... Thanks to that, productivity has continuously increased, partly meeting the great demand of the Tet market.
It is known that currently in Ngoc Lien commune, Ngoc Lac district, there are dozens of households making dong vermicelli. In the days approaching the Lunar New Year of At Ty 2025, the atmosphere of making vermicelli here is even more bustling. The scene of people racing to make vermicelli, the sound of machines running, the furnaces burning red day and night... ready to produce batches of vermicelli to serve people near and far to celebrate Tet.
