First thing in the morning is not the time to be getting diacritical marks wrong. An inappropriate circumflex or grave could cause all sorts of problem. Hội An is a historic city on Vietnam’s central coast known for its UNESCO-listed Ancient Town and glowing evening lanterns. Hòa An is a beautiful mountainous region located in Cao Bằng Province in the northeast of Vietnam. Hoa An in the Mekong Delta is famous for its pretty handicraft villages and authentic countryside life. This last one is where we were.
A short trip on a sampan and then into the waiting xe lôi (motor carts). We were comfortable and familiar with how this works now. Then we were off into the countryside. I often enjoy this sort of trip much more than some of the forced tourist experiences. We were bimbling through the fields where a few people were out working. Enjoying the gentle pace, seeing how ordinary people lived here and taking a few photographs. I was very happy doing this. Some of the crops I could recognise. Many I could not. Occasionally someone would wave at us. Too soon, we were back at the sampan but it had been a good start to the day.
We did not head back to the Princess. Instead, we headed up one of the many small tributaries to see how the rice is processed. There were many little factories here. Each one processing rice in a similar way. Many barges were arriving from the fields with the raw rice and many were leaving with sacks of finished rice.
Raw paddy rice is dried and hulled to remove the outer husk. This gives you brown rice. I like brown rice. It has a nice nutty flavour and bit more bite. It is also rich in fibre, B1, B3, magnesium, iron and healthy fats. Takes a bit longer to cook. As with much of life, I am in a minority. Most of the world prefers polished rice. This turns the nutritious grain into simple carbohydrate. Most of the vitamins, essential minerals and roughage is gone. To combat nutritional deficiencies like beriberi (caused by a lack of vitamin B1), many countries mandate that polished rice is enriched with synthetic vitamins and iron after milling. So why throw away all this vegetable goodness?
People often prefer the softer, fluffy texture of polished rice. Polishing also gets ride of the nutty flavour of the bran and this creates a more neutral and versatile base for many dishes. White rice cooks more quickly. So, it is cheaper to cook. However, possibly the most important reason, especially around here, is that polishing extends the shelf life. Removing the fat-rich bran layer prevents the oils from turning rancid. Like this, the rice can be stored for years without special packaging or refrigeration. The oils in the bran can go rancid in just a few days.
Nothing goes to waste. I don’t think anything ever goes to waste here. The raw rice bran from the polishing process is mostly used for animal feed. They get the benefit of all the nutrients removed from the rice. Some of the bran is used to create rice bran oil – a high-smoke-point cooking oil valued for its heart-healthy properties and ability to lower cholesterol. Once stabilised the bran is sold as a nutritional supplement. Consider the irony of adding bran to your Rice Krispies for a more nutritious breakfast.
The husk does not go to waste either. It is a used as a fuel in specially made stoves. From the factory, it is loaded into adapted barges with massive bamboo and canvas hoppers. They look absurdly overloaded. But the husk is not heavy. We are on a gentle river with no swell. Everything is fine. Mostly fine. There may be trouble with monsters.
To be on the safe side all the boats have eyes. Painted onto the bows close to the waterline to give the vessel a living spirit, guide it through dangerous waters and ward off evil water spirits. A pair of eyes to ward off the evil river spirits. Local communities view a boat not as an object but as a living creature with a soul. Owners perform a special ceremony to “open the eyes” by painting the pupils last. This ritual brings the boat to life so it can sense and navigate its environment. Traditional beliefs hold that rivers contain unpredictable spirits or monsters. The eyes help the boat watch for hazards and stay safe.
With all that sorted and understood we headed back to the Princess. The anchor was pulled up and we set a course for Can Tho City.