KATUM CAKE - AN EXOTIC FOOD OF KHMER ETHNIC IN MEKONG DELTA REGION
Kà tum cake is a cake with an outer shell made of jaggery leaves and has a pomegranate-like appearance, in the Khmer language, Ka tum means pomegranate. Cakes only appear on traditional holidays and Tet of the Khmer ethnic group such as Chol Chnam Thmay, Sen Dolta, Ok om bok. This type of cake has the meaning of abundance and fullness, so it is used for holidays, the cake has a special color if at first glance we will feel like it is a white flower. According to the locals, Kà tum cake is very difficult to make because the wrapping is very sophisticated and requires the meticulousness of the packer, so not everyone can pack a Kà tum cake properly.
Regarding the ingredients to make Kà tum cake, these are very familiar ingredients, which are: sticky rice, white beans, coconut, sugar, salt, etc. Under the guidance of the people, we have to learn the process to make this unique cake.
Sticky rice must be prepared by soaking overnight, then draining. White beans and coconut milk will be mixed with salt and sugar to infuse the spices and then wrapped with cakes. Glutinous rice and filling are wrapped in the leaf shell of the palm tree and cooked in boiling water for about 45 minutes, then taken out and blanched in cold water. The final result we will have is a Kà tum cake with a light yellow outer layer and a fancy shape like a pomegranate.
Listening to the method, perhaps all of us will think that making Kà tum cakes is very easy, but the truth is completely opposite. Because the process of wrapping the cake is an extremely difficult step for us, the palm leaves to qualify for the cake package are the young leaves lying on the top of the tree. After getting the leaves, we need to wipe the leaves clean and then cut the leaves into small pieces of equal length, then take them to make a cake. The crust will be knitted into a square and then cleverly stuffed inside, then we continue to knit the crust. At the top of the cake, the Ka tum cake has the top tied to create a blooming flower. The difficulty of wrapping the cake lies at the top of the cake and the body must meet the requirements that are square at the corners and not reveal the outside. The termites making the crust must be cleverly hidden under the cake to make it easier for the eaters to peel the cake, but finding the leaf termites is also considered an art.
To eat Kà tum cake, the eater must find the leaf termites and remove them back to the end of the cake, this is seen as a way for the eater to feel the feat, the ingenuity of the baker. When we remove the leaf layer, we will see the cake's crust has shiny color, inside that sophisticated shell is the sticky part with bean paste. The sticky part does not stick to the crust, when eaten, we will feel the sticky rice with the fatty taste from coconut, white beans to increase the flesh. In addition to enjoying the taste, we also enjoy the cake with the sense of smell, when eating the cake, we will smell a characteristic aroma of young jaggery leaves. Thanks to that, Kà tum cake has brought a special flavor that cannot be confused with other cakes.
Kà tum cake is a type of cake carrying the traditional features of the Khmer people in the land of O Lam. Currently, state agencies in this area have supported the people here to continue to promote and preserve the beauty of the nation's culinary culture. Accompanying that is the research and innovation to help develop more unique dishes of the Khmer An Giang to tourists from afar.
Vietnam has the shape of the letter "S" and stretches in the shape of the letter "S", which are the lands that bring their own unique landscapes, people, culture, cuisine, etc. Hopefully, all of us will have the opportunity to go everywhere to know more interesting things about Vietnam.