Cao Bằng Grass Jelly - A cooling flavor from the Non Nuoc Region

Ingredients and processing of Cao Bằng grass jelly

Cao Bằng grass jelly is a specialty gift rich in the natural flavors of the Non Nuoc Region. Photo: Quốc Sơn

The grass jelly plant and local flavors

Cao Bằng grass jelly is processed from the grass jelly plant (also known as sương sáo). In Cao Bằng, this plant is commonly grown on the hillsides in the communes of Canh Tân, Minh Khai, Đông Khê, Kim Đồng, and scattered in several other places. Notably, during the cultivation process, local people do not use any chemical fertilizers or growth stimulants. After harvesting, the grass jelly plants are dried and carefully preserved by the locals to be used as ingredients for processing jelly throughout the year.

Thanks to the harmonious combination of the specific soil conditions and the fresh mountain climate, the finished Cao Bằng grass jelly possesses a very distinct flavor: refreshing, with a light sweet aftertaste and a gentle herbal aroma, difficult to mistake for grass jelly from anywhere else.

Handmade jelly cooking process

The process of making grass jelly is not overly complicated but requires meticulousness and effort. To create high-quality products, the maker must have experience and their own secrets so the jelly achieves a glossy, smooth, and flexible texture while remaining naturally soft and chewy. The dried plants are washed and simmered for many hours, then the juice is extracted. Next, the juice, filtered of all residue, is mixed with sugar and tapioca starch according to a specific ratio depending on the maker's family secret, then simmered over low heat and stirred constantly until the jelly liquid becomes thick and jet black. Finally, the jelly is poured into molds, boxed, and left to cool naturally.

Grass jelly is a refreshing dish that cools the body during the hot season.

OCOP products and how to enjoy them

Grass jelly is cooked manually by locals or processing facilities without using preservatives, thus maintaining its delicious, authentic flavor. This has helped many facilities achieve 3-star OCOP standards, enabling them to expand into markets outside the province, with products such as: Thạch đen su hào by the household business of Hoàng Thị Kim Anh in Minh Khai village, Hòa An commune; Thạch đen Thu Ngân by the business of Phan Thị Ngân in Hạnh Phúc commune; Thạch đen Lê Thùy by the Nông Lệ Thùy production facility; and Thạch đen Đinh Tuyên by the business of Đinh Thị Kim Tuyến in Thạch An commune...

Ms. Trần Thị Tuyết Nhung from Hanoi shared: "Cao Bằng grass jelly has a flexible, chewy, and soft texture with a mild sweetness, and it's very cooling to eat. It can be consumed directly or combined with yogurt, soy milk, syrup, or fruit, all of which are delicious, especially suitable for hot summer days. This is a rustic gift but rich in mountain flavors, so every time I go to Cao Bằng, I buy dozens of boxes as gifts for my family, friends, and relatives."

Beyond being a simple cooling dish, Cao Bằng grass jelly is a crystallization of nature, carrying the deep breath of the Non Nuoc mountains and forests. With its refreshing, mildly sweet, and rustic flavor, grass jelly leaves an unforgettable aftertaste, becoming a signature gift that anyone visiting Cao Bằng wants to taste and bring home.