Lotus

Hung Yen’s specialities include longan and lotus. If Pho Hien’s longan is considered as the king of all kinds of fruits in Vietnam, Hung Yen’s lotus is seen as the queen of all kinds of flowers. Lotus is grown along the Red River dyke, from Van Giang to the Luoc River’s gate and even to La Tien of Phu Cu district and its scent spreads throughout the atmosphere. The elderly people consider drinking lotus–scented tea as an elegant pleasure. Some old people use dewdrops lingering on lotus leaves in the early morning to make morning tea.

Lotus is not only a beautiful flower but all of its parts are also good remedies. Lotus seeds can treat neurasthenia and insomnia. The core of lotus seed with bitter taste can be used to treat palpitation and bring tranquillization. The dried lotus calyx and pistil can be cooked with water to stop the bleeding. Fresh lotus leaves are used to treat blood vomiting and nose bleeding. Its root can be used as febrifuge and haemostatic. It can also be boiled for bathing, which makes the skin as smooth as silk and creates physical pleasure. Its pistil is used to scent tea.

Some people have to spend over VND 1 million on a kilogram of lotus-scented tea as a gift for their far-away friends. With lotus seed, green pea, sugar, starch, dried longan and some other ingredients, housewives can cook sweetened porridge with special flavor. During the Mid-Autumn festival, Hung Yen girls often made sugar-coated lotus seeds with the implication of looking for a husband.

It is considered as the quintessence of the heaven and earth when sugar-coated lotus seeds are served with cakes made of ground green lentils.