Quang Ngai: Rock Sugar, Maltose and More

Dive into Quang Ngai’s ancient art of crafting rock sugar and maltose.

Nestled near the sea, Quang Ngai is graced by four stunning rivers: Tra Khuc, Tra Bong, Tra Cau, and Ve. These rivers deposit rich alluvium, creating expansive sandbanks where vibrant green sugarcane thrives. Since the mid-19th century, Quang Ngai sugar has been a prized commodity, cherished both domestically and exported abroad. Historically, Quang Ngai was known for its five distinct types of sugar. Among these, the most exceptional were honeycomb rock sugar and rock sugar, accompanied by a unique variety – maltose.

Honeycomb Rock Sugar

The sugarcane harvest season in Quang Ngai kicked off in the twelfth lunar month, heralded by the chill of the north winds. This was a signal for the locals to set up a sugarcane pressing hut. 

On a patch of empty land stood a large hut, its roof made of straw and thatch, with no fences or walls to confine it. Inside, a wooden sugarcane pressing machine with three copper rollers bristling with teeth awaited the harvest. One person would sit and feed the sugarcane through the slits in the machine’s shaft, while a robust buffalo steadily walked in a circle, turning the rollers. The golden yellow sugarcane juice would trickle into a bucket, glistening in the light.

The sugarcane juice was poured into two large cast iron pans. A large ball of dried sugarcane leaves was gradually fed into the furnace, making the fire roar to life. A few ladles of white lime were added to the juice, helping to separate the turbidity and make it clear. As the sugarcane juice began to bubble, impurities rose to the surface with the foam. The master worker skillfully skimmed off the foam, transferring the “first tea” (nước chè một) into the filter tank. 

The “first tea” was then returned to the pan to cook down further, transforming into the “second tea” (nước chè hai). Thin green smoke wafted gently over the pan, while the sweet, enticing aroma of syrup drifted far and wide on the breeze, inviting passersby to stop and savor a bowl of the delectable “second tea”:

“As I pass the fragrant sugarcane hut, 

My heart yearns to distill a sweet life with you.” (Folk song)

Vietnamese folk songs are filled with charming lines like that, artfully flirting in a proper and elegant manner.

After two days of continuous cooking, the master craftsman tests the molasses to see if it’s thick enough. Once it reaches this stage, the pan is lifted from the oven, and a strong craftsman uses a large wooden spatula to stir the mixture. The spatula’s dance begins slow and graceful, then gradually speeds up, tirelessly rotating in an unseen, bustling rhythm. Tiny air bubbles are introduced, causing the molasses to expand and pulsate as if it were breathing. When the spatula finally stops, the sugar is poured into blocks or small iron molds, forming into lovely cubes.

Honeycomb rock sugar, made from molasses, boasts a bright yellow color. Its interior is filled with air bubbles, resembling lung sacs, which is why it’s called đường phổi (lung sugar). This sugar has a sweet and refreshing taste, making it perfect for cooking sweet soups and crafting traditional cakes like bánh ít and xôi đường.

The Quang Ngai girl cleverly uses the tale of cooking sugarcane juice into sugar to express her resentment towards the man who loves her in silence but never confesses his feelings: 

“Sugarcane juice turns to sugar sweet,

If you stay silent, how will our hearts meet?” (Folk song)

Rock Sugar

Rock sugar resembles pale yellow or white sparkling crystals. Because it looks like alum, its Vietnamese name is đường phèn (alum sugar). Traditional rock sugar often has white threads embedded in it. Have you ever wondered why there are threads in rock sugar?

The “second tea”, once it reaches the right consistency, is poured into a container with a special bamboo frame. This frame consists of two bamboo blinds at the ends, separated by a few iron bars and connected by countless tight threads. As the molasses flows along these threads, it condenses into sparkling rock sugar crystals. The remaining molasses is then poured out of the container. In the past, this leftover molasses was cooked into đường bông (cotton sugar) (according to Pham Trung Viet, Non nuoc xu Quang tan bien, Khai Tri bookstore 1969, p. 183).

Rock sugar is carefully removed from the container, then crushed, dried, and packaged. It is cleaner and boasts a milder taste compared to honeycomb rock sugar, thanks to the use of egg whites besides lime to filter out impurities and eliminate odors. Traditionally, rock sugar was cooked from molasses, but today it is made from factory-purchased white sugar, giving it a clear, white color. Nowadays, only a few establishments in Nghia Dong commune, Quang Ngai province, still maintain the traditional craft of rock sugar making.

According to an online source, the tradition of rock sugar making began in Thu Xa town, now part of Nghia Hoa commune in Quang Ngai province. In the 19th century, Thu Xa was a bustling trading port, home to many Vietnamese and Chinese residents. Rock sugar became the hallmark product of this area, notably produced by the sugar factory of Mr. Hoang Xuan Vinh and others who learned the craft from him. Mr. Vinh’s family, originally from Fujian, migrated to Hoi An around the 17th century, bringing with them the secret art of making rock sugar used in Chinese medicine (Duong Thuy @ vnlifestyle.com).

By the early 20th century, with the development of the road network, Thu Xa gradually lost its strategic advantage. After years of decline and the ravages of war, the once bustling town is now quiet. Bich Khe, a renowned poet from the pre-war era, poignantly referenced his hometown Thu Xa in his poem “My Village”: 

“In this old village, sad and alone, 

Have you ever returned home? 

Days drift slowly by – the blue river gleams, 

Illuminated by the falling rain.”

Rock sugar is an ideal seasoning that imparts a gentle sweetness to medicinal dishes. For example, it’s perfect for bird’s nests with lotus seeds to nourish health, pears with rock sugar to soothe coughs, or aloe vera with rock sugar to cool the body, and more.

Maltose

Unlike honeycomb rock sugar and rock sugar, maltose (mạch nha) is prepared using a distinct cooking method.

The rice grains are covered and watered daily. After nine days, the rice seedlings sprout lush and green, with slender roots intertwined into long white fibers. These are the rice germs, the part that imparts the sweet taste to maltose. The germs are separated, dried, and then pounded into germ powder. 

The sticky rice is cooked until soft, then mixed with hot water and germ powder and left to rest overnight. The water turns milky white, absorbing the sweetness of the sticky rice and the germ, fragrant with the scent of young rice seedlings and warm sunlight. The juice is then filtered and simmered until it reaches the perfect consistency.

Golden maltose, as smooth as honey, boasts a delicate sweetness and delightful fragrance. According to ancient Quang Ngai customs, wedding gifts must include maltose, symbolizing sweet and faithful love. A famous snack from the past, still sold by street vendors today, is grilled rice paper with a few lines of maltose and snow-white grated coconut. The crispy rice paper, sweet and fragrant maltose, and soft coconut create an unforgettable treat that lingers in memory.

It is said that the first person to make maltose in Quang Ngai was Mr. Pho Sau from Thiet Truong village, Mo Duc commune, in the early 20th century. His daughter and son-in-law continued to expand the craft in Thi Pho village, where the tradition of maltose making is still maintained today. 

However, the earliest place to make maltose in Vietnam was actually An Phu village, Nghia Do commune, in the former Ha Dong province. In the 18th century, a mandarin named Tran Toan, a native of An Phu, was sent to China as an envoy. There, he learned the art of making maltose and brought this knowledge back to teach his fellow villagers (according to Han Sy Quynh).

Quang Ngai is no longer bustling with sugarcane trucks, nor fragrant with the scent of sugar syrup. The sugarcane growing areas have not been protected or sustainably managed, coupled with a shrinking market for traditional products like maltose and rock sugar. Without a plan for long-term consolidation and development, the once vibrant sugarcane and sugar capital faces an uncertain future regarding its recovery.

“In my hometown Quang Ngai so fair, 

Sweet sugarcane and delights beyond compare. 

Maltose and rock sugar, oh so sweet, 

And mirror candy, a treat you can’t beat.”  (Folk song) 

Hopefully, one day the old folk song will resonate once more in the homeland of An Mountain and Tra Rivers, restoring the glory of Quang Ngai sugarcane and elevating its reputation throughout Vietnam and beyond.

mlefood – Minh Lê