Soybean paste kiln over 45 years old in Vinh Phong

We found our way to Thanh Huong soy sauce and fermented bean curd production facility quite easily, because this is the oldest and most famous soy sauce factory in Vinh Phong commune. “You buy soy sauce, right? The soy sauce here is very delicious, my family only comes here to buy soy sauce and fermented bean curd. Just go straight from Vinh Phong commune administrative center, drive towards Vinh Thuan floating market, then ask for Mr. Thanh and Mrs. An’s soy sauce production facility, everyone will know” - a local enthusiastically gave directions.

As soon as we arrived at the yard, we could smell the strong aroma of soy sauce. A few customers were waiting to buy soy sauce. Inside, Mrs. Vo Thi Ngoc An was busily scooping spoonfuls of the shimmering soy sauce from large earthenware jars, carefully pouring it into bottles to deliver to customers. Even though she was over 70 years old, Mrs. An was still nimble, scooping soy sauce, bottling it, and calculating the money quickly. “My husband and I opened our soy sauce production facility in 1980, more than 45 years ago. We learned the trade from a friend. This soy sauce kiln has supported my family and now my grandchildren too,” Mrs. An smiled gently.

While Mrs. An was busy delivering goods outside, Mr. Thanh was concentrating on selecting soybeans in a small room filled with ingredients. Seeing me, Mr. Thanh enthusiastically introduced the tools and stages of his family's soy sauce production. Mr. Thanh said: "Making soy sauce has 4 basic stages. First, we prepare the beans, then cook them and then take them out to ferment. When the soybeans have fermented to the required level, we mix them with salt and sugarcane juice. Finally, we soak them in a clay pot in a cool, sunny place for a while longer."

Ms. Vo Thi Ngoc An checks the color and aroma of the bean jars in the front yard.

Most of the stages of producing soybean paste are done by hand, by Mr. Thanh and Mrs. An themselves. It takes more than a month to complete a batch of soybean paste, the longest stage is the fermentation of soybeans in the jar. According to Mr. Thanh, the important thing is to choose good soybeans, then the finished product will be delicious and of good quality. His family's soybean paste products do not use preservatives, the flavor is very distinctive and delicious. "Making soybean paste means "watching the sun, waiting for the rain". If the sun is warm, the batch of soybean paste will have a beautiful color, standard flavor and aroma" - Mr. Thanh said.

On average, Thanh Huong soy sauce and fermented bean curd production facility sells about 20kg of soy sauce seeds every day at VND20,000/kg. In addition to soy sauce, the facility also produces fermented bean curd, retailing each jar for VND10,000. Customers are mainly in An Giang province. Some people in neighboring provinces such as Ca Mau and Can Tho city also regularly contact to place orders. “Although the income is not high, for my husband and I, this soy sauce factory is an ambition, a memory. We will maintain the profession until we are no longer healthy enough to quit,” said Ms. An.

Leaving Mr. Thanh and Mrs. An’s soy sauce production facility, I still have in my mind the strong aroma of soy sauce, along with the image of the old couple quietly and persistently preserving a traditional profession, despite many changes in life. In each batch of soy sauce, the glue retains the flavor of the homeland and also preserves the passion, pride and memories of many generations.

“Many business owners also come to my establishment to buy soy sauce in large quantities to resell to customers. My husband and I do not hide our profession. Anyone who wants to learn how to make soy sauce, we are willing to teach them for free, because I really hope to be able to maintain this traditional soy sauce making profession. My grandchildren are also living with me, both to help and to learn the profession,” said Ms. Vo Thi Ngoc An.

WALL VI

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/lo-tuong-hon-45-nam-tuoi-o-vinh-phong-a423676.html