Me Tri Green Rice, 4-star OCOP product - Pride of Hanoians

In the heart of Hanoi, among modern high-rise buildings, Me Tri still retains the simple beauty of a traditional craft village. This place is famous for green rice, an indispensable specialty in Vietnamese culinary culture. In particular, Me Tri green rice has been recognized as a 4-star OCOP product, becoming the pride of Vietnamese people and the capital Hanoi.

Hanoi specialty green rice bag meets 4-star OCOP standards.

Me Tri green rice brand and difference

Me Tri green rice is made from young golden sticky rice grains, harvested in the fall. The people here are proud of the green rice making profession not only because of the delicious product but also because of the elaborate processing process, requiring meticulousness and dedication. From selecting rice, picking grass, to processing into batches of fragrant green rice, each stage contains effort and love for the profession.

Golden sticky rice is harvested to make green rice when it is full moon (milk ripe)
Perhaps that is why Me Tri green rice is different from other green rice varieties on the market mainly due to the meticulous production process and unique source of raw materials. The green rice making profession in Me Tri has a history of more than 100 years, but unlike Vong green rice, this type of green rice uses golden sticky rice, which is a type of sticky rice that is carefully selected and harvested when the rice is "milk ripe". This young rice grain is roasted in a cast iron pan under a wood fire to retain its stickiness and characteristic delicious flavor. The processing stages from roasting, pounding to winnowing are all meticulously taken care of, making Me Tri green rice grains always soft, sticky and sweet, not dry or broken.

Me Tri green rice is also not colored or flavored, retaining its natural flavor, so it is popular in traditional Hanoi dishes such as green rice sticky rice, green rice sweet soup, and green rice cakes.

Com is wrapped in lotus leaves, creating the unique flavor of Me Tri com.

The flavor of Me Tri com stands out thanks to the combination of the fragrance of lotus leaves when wrapped, giving the product an elegant and unique feature. The development of the com craft here not only ensures quality but also becomes an intangible cultural heritage, demonstrating the dedication and quintessence of Me Tri people.

Minh Hang Me Tri fresh com participates in the exhibition introducing Ocop products in 2024

To be recognized as a 4-star OCOP product, Me Tri com has undergone a strict quality control process. The product not only fully meets the criteria for quality and flavor but also focuses on packaging and product appearance. This recognition not only enhances the value of Me Tri com but also contributes to affirming its brand and position in the hearts of diners and tourists.

Sharing with reporters, Mr. Nguyen The Do - Vice Chairman of Me Tri Ward People's Committee said that our Ocop 4-star Me Tri green rice product has long become a specialty of Hanoi, every autumn in Hanoi people remember the day to come to Me Tri green rice. That is why we have tried to complete the procedures to submit to the competent authorities for approval so that Me Tri green rice is not only an Ocop product but also a cultural heritage. Ms. Nguyen Minh Hang, owner of the first 4-star green rice production facility in Hanoi, shared: “Receiving the 4-star OCOP certification is the motivation for us to continue to maintain and develop the traditional craft of the village, while expanding the market for the product. However, we are currently facing difficulties in product output, so we hope to continue to receive support from state agencies and join hands to connect so that the Me Tri green rice brand not only reaches consumers nationwide but also reaches out to the world, bringing with it the unique cultural crystals of Vietnam.

Keeper of the fire of Me Tri green rice profession

Me Tri, formerly a peaceful countryside located on the outskirts of Hanoi, is famous for its fragrant green rice, a specialty with the traditional flavor of the Vietnamese people. Amidst the hustle and bustle of life today, there are people who quietly preserve and develop the green rice production profession, a culinary art that has existed for thousands of years.

Me Tri green rice is not Not only is Com a dish, it is also a part of cultural heritage. Com is made from young rice grains of the yellow sticky rice variety, going through an elaborate and meticulous processing process. Every autumn, when the cold winds come, workers in Me Tri go to the fields together, pick rice, to make the first batches of Com.

Ms. Nguyen Minh Hang, owner of the Fresh Com production and trading establishment, one of the people who keep the Com craft alive in Me Tri, has been involved in this profession for more than 20 years. She said: "To have delicious batches of Com, the maker must be very careful in every step, from selecting the rice grains, cooking them until pounding them by hand". For her, Com is not only a product to earn a living but also a passion and pride.

Ms. Hang has passed on the secrets of making Com to her children, hoping to preserve this traditional profession. "If not preserved, the beauty in culinary culture will gradually fade away", she said.

Ms. Nguyen Minh Hang standing in the middle of receiving the decision to recognize OCOP products.
Although the green rice production profession is being preserved, many challenges are weighing on the workers' shoulders. The economic situation, changes in consumer tastes and competition from other products are causing the green rice profession to gradually fade away.

To cope with this reality, green rice production facilities like Ms. Hang’s have begun to apply new technology in production and proactively connect with e-commerce channels, helping to bring products to consumers more conveniently.

Green rice production in Me Tri is not only a profession but also a part of the soul of the people here. People like Ms. Nguyen Minh Hang are constantly striving to preserve and develop this traditional profession. They are the ones who keep the fire burning, bringing to future generations the precious cultural values ​​of the nation. Green rice Me Tri, with its sweet taste and natural aroma, will forever be the pride of the Kinh Ky land./.