Dried noodles: bread-and-butter for locals in mountainous province

By Hong Van May 9, 2016 | 07:21 pm PT

Many families in the mountainous province of Lang Son have struck it rich from making dried noodles, a specialty of the region.

Hoang Thi Bich, 44, said that her famiy has a long tradition of making dried noodles. The recipe was handed down from Bich's parents to her when she was 13.

"We have to get up at 4 a.m. to start making the noodles. Thanks to modern machinery, it takes us just three days to finish a batch," Bich said.

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Dried noodles are favored for their scent and chewy flavor.

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Thin layers from rice flour are steamed and then dried in the sun.

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Rice layers are soaked in warm water with fat to prevent them from sticking together.

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These layers are then squeezed and folded into multiple loops before being sliced into small strips.

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Noodles are spread on bamboo blinds and dried in the sun again.

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The blinds are lifted to catch the sunlight.

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Dried noodles are bundled. "The specialty can be used within two to three months. The price is about VND15,000 ($0.7) for 10 bunches. Some of my customers often buy in bulk to sell in Hanoi, the central region and the Central Highlands as well," a local told VnExpress.

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In the future, dried noodles will be given a registered trademark.