Chè lam commentary

Ok everyone, despite the very renowned and the signature of Hanoi’s foods that you can find in
anywhere in the internet, food new papers or especially through Gordon Ramsey’s trip in Hanoi
that he posted on his YouTube channel 12 years ago and he got over 10M views. Please let me
introduce to you guys a snack that are less famous to foreign visitor, simple in vision but
flavorful in your tongue. Especially, this snack is the one cannot miss in almost every house in
Hanoi during Lunar New Year festival, the biggest festival in Vietnam. And that its “Chè lam”,
in English we call “Sticky rice ginger candy”
According to folk studies long ago, this snack begins from the honest heart of local people while
they are worshiping the Buddha in every first and middle of Lunar month. In 15th century, while
Le Loi King and his army traveling through Hanoi, the local people gave them this candy as a
present to prevent the army from hunger. And from that day, this snack was considered as a
traditional treat in Hanoi.
So, you guys are might wonder how do we made this candy right? The ingredients of Chè Lam
are quite simple and similar to Europe hard candy. The only difference is sticky rice powder and
boiled old ginger. This candy is the combination of rice powder, smashed ginger, peanuts,
sugarcane syrup, … all of that mixed well together over the wood stove until it create a sticky
consistency, which is then flattened, coated in corn powder to prevent from sticking, and ready to
enjoy. Sound so easy right, but the maker needs to spent lot of time stirring, keep an eye on wood
stove to avoid burning the candy.
As you can see, the look is so simple right? Now let us imagine we are touching that pillowy,
softly, smoothly but denser if we compare to marshmallow in America. But in conclusion, the

candy is soft and smooth like your girlfriend skin, right 😉

Let’s me share to you guys here about the taste and the best way to enjoy this treat. We can smell
the scent from smashed ginger and immediately taste the sweetness of the syrup, the crunch and
rich flavor from peanuts, but we have to chew more than eating marshmallow because of dense
consistency from rice powder. This candy tastes the best when you guys consumed it with a cup
of hot green tea during cold weather like Tet in February in Hanoi. The bitterness and the warm
aroma of teacup will balance the sweetness of Chè Lam and melt in your mouth right away. Not
only that, Tet Festival when all members in our family sum up together to enjoy the celebration
of New Year. So that is the best time for us to enjoy such a traditional treat. Just like you guys
are usually eat ginger cookies with hot chocolate in Christmas holiday right.
Nowadays, you guys can find and buy Chè Lam in everywhere at any time in the city. I
recommend you guys should buy this candy as a gift to your lover at home!