Pia Cake in Soc Trang - Best Street Food to Try
Pia Cake in Soc Trang is a type of cake that will captivate you from the very first taste because it's a product crafted from the essence of the creators' hard work and dedication. Not only that, but it's also a symbol of the local people here. So, when you have the chance to travel to Soc Trang, you must absolutely try this unique and special cake.
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The origins of “Pia” Cake - Soc Trang’s traditional sweet snack
The "Pia" cake of Soc Trang dates back to the 16th century, when people from Minh Huong immigrated to our country. They brought a cake with tastes from their home country. This dish was formerly known as the Chaozhou people's Mooncake. As a result, the term "pia" comes from the Chaozhou language, specifically the term "pi-é," which translates as "cake."
In Thuan Hoa commune, An Hiep commune, Phu Tam commune, Chau Thanh district, there is a community known for making "pia" cakes. Pia Cake in Soc Trang was previously fully handcrafted. However, in response to rising demand, contemporary manufacturing methods utilizing machines have been implemented to boost productivity.
Mr. Tran Cang, a well-known Chinese businessman, purchased "pia" cakes from the Tao Thanh bakery in 1963 and sold them in regions like as Bien Hoa - Dong Nai and Lai Thieu - Binh Duong. He realized that these locations were abundant in durian, therefore he suggested to the bakery that they make a filling with this fruit. This became the genesis of the "pia" cake filled with mung beans and durian, a favorite version among cake fans.
Craft Village of Pia Cake in Soc Trang
Address: Phu Tam Commune, Chau Thanh District, Soc Trang Province.
Vung Thom, around 10 kilometers from Soc Trang city, is regarded as the birthplace of the legendary Pia Cake in Soc Trang. With a history of roughly 80 to 100 years, this meal has become a vital part of the life of the locals and has acquired national recognition.
Although it originated in China, this delicacy has experienced a fusion, uniting the two cultures, thanks to the Vietnamese. Chinese-origin families used to make these cakes to sell to villages through beverage booths, markets, and general stores.
To this day, some artisan communities have retained and refined the traditional culture of manufacturing Soc Trang's "Pia" Cakes. Cong Lap Thanh, Thuan Thanh, My Hiep Thanh, Tan Hue Vien, and Tao Thanh are notable "pia" cake workshops. Among these, Mr. Minh Xuong's Cong Lap Thanh stands out as a pioneer.
Mr. Minh Xuong began his career as an apprentice in the famed "Pia" cake workshop at the age of nine. Cong Lap Thanh was chosen to instill a message and sustain the spirit of tenacity in enterprise. Many enterprises and cake factories are now producing "pia" cakes to fulfill the demands of export markets such as China, the United States, Cambodia, Canada, and others.
The Value of Pia Cake in Soc Trang
1. Soc Trang's Pia Cake contributes to the country's further development.
It creates revenues for the province's manufacturing facilities and workshops as well as the market in the southern region. Restaurants and convenience stores sell a variety of Pia Cakes to visitors who want to purchase them as snacks or gifts for their family while visiting the province.
Furthermore, the Soc Trang Pia Cake craft community has assisted in providing a consistent income for hundreds of households. Because of the economic benefits, the Soc Trang community is becoming more trained, manufacturing things with a more professional touch. Products are becoming more polished and unique.
2. The Pia Cake is a source of pride for the people of Soc Trang.
Local officials are interested in developing this dish. On September 30, 2020, the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism collaborated with relevant sectors and received authorization from the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism to issue Decision No. 2728/QD-BVHTTDL, recognizing Soc Trang's Pia Cake and adding it to the national list of intangible cultural heritage of traditional crafts.
Furthermore, the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism invited specialist units to contribute to the development of a strategy to preserve and enhance the value of this traditional craft. Along with this advancement, production facilities must improve quality and adhere to HACCP criteria for cake manufacture. They also use technological equipment and machines to increase cake output. However, several stages are still done by hand.
How to make Pia Cake in Soc Trang?
1. The ingredients to prepare
- 350g wheat flour
- 80g tapioca starch
- 10g cornstarch
- 15g sago flour
- 8 salted egg yolks
- 200g seedless durian
- 100g peeled mung beans
- 135ml vegetable oil
- 1 chicken egg
- 2g baking powder
- 110g caster sugar
- Red food coloring, salt
2. Step-by-step guide to make Pia Cake in Soc Trang
Step 1: Combine 1/3 teaspoon salt, 50 grams of sugar, and 240 grams of wheat flour. Mix evenly after adding 60ml of vegetable oil to the flour mixture. Stir in 80ml of water gradually and knead by hand until the dough is smooth, elastic, and just moist but not sticky. The dough should be placed in a basin, covered tightly with plastic wrap, and left to rest for approximately 20 minutes. After the dough has rested, divide it into 8 equal sections.
Step 2: Put 45g of vegetable oil, 80g of tapioca starch, 2g of baking powder, and 110g of wheat flour in a bowl. Using a flat spoon, thoroughly mix. Cover the mixture with plastic wrap and set aside for about 20 minutes, or until the ingredients come together to create a soft, slightly sticky dough. Take the dough out and divide it into 8 equal halves after it has rested.
Step 3: Soak peeled mung beans for four to six hours in water. Once the beans have soaked, transfer them to a pot, cover with 300ml of water and ½ teaspoon of salt, and cook over low heat until the water has reduced and the beans are tender.
Step 4: Make sure a nonstick pan is hot and dry before heating it. Smoothly blend the soaked mung beans. After that, transfer the blended mung beans to the hot pan, reduce the heat to a simmer, and thoroughly stir in 60g of sugar. 30ml of vegetable oil should be added gradually after the sugar melts, stirring to ensure that all the components are well blended.
Step 5: Purée 200g of durian till silky. To the cooked mung beans, add the blended durian. Combine the beans and 10g cornstarch, dissolved in 20ml filtered water, in a pan. Stir thoroughly and cook over low heat. Once the durian and mung bean mixture in the pan is soft, translucent, and sticks together, add 15g of sago flour, stir thoroughly, and remove from the heat. Allow mixture to cool, then divide into 8 equal portions and roll into balls.
Step 6: Separate the salted egg yolks, give them a 15-minute alcohol soak, then give them a thorough rinse before cooking them under steam.
Step 7: Shape into a spherical ball by flattening a piece of the mung bean and durian filling, centering a salted egg yolk, and wrapping it around. Proceed with the remaining mung bean, durian, and salted egg yolk parts in the same manner. Transfer the fillings to a plate and securely cover with plastic wrap.
Step 8: On a level surface, flatten a part of the dough, roll it thinly, top with a portion of the oil dough, wrap it firmly, and reshape it into a ball. The dough should be stretched further by rolling it again, this time vertically and into a circle that is bigger than the filling. Make sure the dough's edges are thinner than its center. After centering the filling, securely wrap the dough and gently form it into a ball. Any extra dough can be gathered using your hands.
Step 9: With the gathered dough facing down, place the cakes on a baking tray covered with parchment paper. To delicately flatten the cakes, press down gently. Using a mold, decorate the tops of the cakes with a design colored with red food.
Step 10: Set the oven's temperature to 220°C. After the cakes are placed on the baking tray, bake for approximately seven minutes. Remove the cake crust when it starts to puff up and become slightly translucent. Using a toothpick, make a few holes in the cake's top layer and coat it with a thin layer of chicken egg yolk. Place the cakes back in the oven and continue to bake for a further fifteen minutes, or until they are golden brown.
After Vietnam Budget Carrental shared information about the Pia Cake in Soc Trang, you've somewhat understood the cultural values that this type of cake brings, along with revealing how to make this cake at home. So, what are you waiting for? Why not come here to enjoy this extremely unique specialty?
