UNIVERSITY OF DALAT

FACULTY OF FOREIGN LANGUAGE & INTERNATIONAL STUDIES

K BRWING
Class: AVK33B
Code: 0912426

THE TRADITIONAL CUISINE OF K HO PEOPLE AND

ITS CURRENT POPULARITY AMONG THEM

SUPERVISOR: NGUYEN TAT THANG, Ph.D.

Dalat , 2012

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Above all, I would like to express my special thanks to my teacher, Mr. Nguyen
Tat Thang, for his whole-hearted teaching and guidance which give me energy to
do my research.
I deeply thank my parents for their financial supports as well as their
encouragements and valuable information during the time of my research.
My thankfulness is also given to the village patriarchs and my friends in Dinh
Trang Hoa commune. Without their enthusiastic helps and cooperation, I would
not be able to successfully complete my study.

ABSTRACT

Lam Dong is a province with many minority groups such as Lach people in Lac
Duong, K Ho people in Di Linh, Churu people in Don Duong......and each group
has their special customs, traditions. In this research, I focus on some typical
traditional cuisine of K Ho people and its popularity among young K Ho
generation in Dinh Trang Hoa commune. The data of this research were collected
from interviewing the patriarchs, handling out survey questionnaire and from
observing the dinner of several K Ho families in Dinh Trang Hoa commune.
Typical cuisines of K Ho people are made from natural materials which are very
close to their life. These foods and drinks also bring specific flavor of
mountainous area. But traditional dishes are not very popular with K Ho people.
This is a problem that needs to be solved to preserve the plural form of Vietnamese
culinary culture.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

I. INTRODUCTION

Nowadays, parallel to develop the economy many countries also attach special
importance to develop their culture, especially, Vietnam-a country with several
minority groups. Culture is a plural form field consists of fashion culture, life
style. Among them is culinary culture. It is necessary to keep the culinary
culture of each minority group in order to preserve the plural form of Vietnamese
culinary culture in particular and nation character in general.
1. Rationale
In a country with many minority groups like Vietnam, culinary culture is an
interesting field to focus on. Although there were several articles, books wrote
about the culinary in different regions in Vietnam such as: the traditional cuisine in
the north, in the south or in the west of Vietnam, the articles and books about the
traditional cuisine of minority groups, particularly K Ho peoples traditional
cuisine, is not worth considering .That is the reason that I do this study. Besides,
my curiosity about K Ho traditional cuisine, about their flavor and popularity
nowadays are the motivation for me to do this research.
2. Aims of the research
I do my research paper to learn about three most typical dishes and one most
typical drink and their making method of K Ho people in Dinh Trang Hoa
commune. Besides that, via this study, I would like to refine my understanding
about K Ho people traditional cuisine. And, the research is an evidence of the
degree of the traditional cuisine popularity among K Ho people which offers us

some strategies to safeguard culinary culture of K Ho people. Beyond, I hope that

my research is useful for people who care about it.
3. Research questions
This research is designed to answer three questions below:
a. What are three most typical of traditional dishes and one most typical of
traditional drink of K Ho people in Dinh Trang Hoa commune?
b. How are those dishes and drink made?
c. How popular they are with K Ho people nowadays?
4. Significance of the research
The research provides the making method of traditional dishes and drinks and its
popularity among K Ho people nowadays which help the appropriate authorities
to have strategies in order to safeguard culinary culture of K Ho people as well as
to preserve the plural form of Vietnamese culinary culture in particular and nation
character in general.
5. Limitation of the research
Because of the short duration of doing the research, its result cannot be applied in
other place outside this report. The result is only based on information from
interviewing the patriarchs, handling out questionnaires to K Ho people in Dinh
Trang Hoa commune, so it is not representative for the greater K Ho population
in Di Linh district.
II. BACKGROUND
1. Literature review
Linh Nga NIEKDAM (2011) states the main foods of K Ho people are rice and
corn, and they also take full advantage of natural vegetables as well as wild
animals to be their secondary foods. Also, according to Linh Nga NIEKDAM
(2011), there are many special dishes of K Ho people such as t my nng,
Cho chua, Nng Nc bc l chui nng.

Besides, Do Van Anh (1999) believes that Bip in K Ho language is something

which are cooked from natural materials found in the mountain to be foods to
serve with main foods: rice and corn.
According to the website of vi.wikipedia.org, K Ho people have three main
meals a day. Accordingly, their meals include main foods: rice and corn served
with vegetables, fishes and animal meat, and heir dishes are cooked by bamboo
tube or their earthen pots.
Nguyen Vo Hinh (2011) states that living in mountainous area, K Ho peoples
drink is stream water and water from the well. He also believes that they use dried
gourds or bamboo tubes to contain their drink. Besides, he mentions that K Ho
people also make Tr nm or Ru cn in Vietnamese which is very popular
with K Ho in their parties and festivals.
2. Definition of terms
Tradition
On a webpage of Wikipedia.org, tradition is defined as: a ritual, belief or object
passed down within a society, also a basically character of a society still
maintained in the present, with origins in the past.
Cuisine
Cuisine (from French cuisine, "cooking; culinary art; kitchen"; ultimately from
Latin coquere, "to cook") is a characteristic style of cooking practices and
traditions, often associated with a specific culture, according to a web page of
Wikipedia.org.
K Ho people
K Ho is a minority group who mainly live in Lam Dong province, and there are
several local groups such as: K Ho Sr, K Ho Chil, K Ho Np, K Ho Lt, K
Ho C Dn (Dn Tc- Dn C Lm ng magazine, 2000).
Dinh Trang Hoa commune

According to a webpage of wikimapadia.org, Dinh Trang Hoa is a commune

belongs to Di Linh district, Lam Dong province, Vietnam. The total area of Dinh
Trang Hoa is 52, 82 square kilometers, and the population according to the
investigation in 1999 is 11637 people.
III.
METHODOLOGY
1. Subjects
For this study, the population is K Ho people from six villages in Dinh Trang
Hoa commune. Among them, I choose 304 people, four patriarchs are chosen to be
interviewed. The rest are handled out the questionnaires to answer.
2. Data collection instruments
2.1. Collection of secondary data
To find out the name of some traditional dishes and drink of K Ho people and the
previous researches, I have found some materials related to traditional cuisine of
K Ho people such as: articles on websites, books and some research about this
field.
2.2. Collection of primary data
Questionnaires
People participants were randomly selected between teenagers and adults (the age
from 15 to 45) live in six villages in Dinh Trang Hoa commune. I choose the
subjects at that age because they have enough ability and knowledge to answer the
questions, and because the elderly (from the age of 50) are definitely prefer
traditional cuisine. The subjects for questionnaires were also divided by their
gender so that further analysis can be done to determine if differences in gender
and age exists. Based on the purpose and the content of the research, I created the
questionnaires which were given to 300 K Ho people. Among them, I choose 50
subjects from each village so that the result was more practical. Questionnaire is

good method to check if the traditional cuisine are still popular with K Ho
people.
Deep interview method
The deep interview method was applied in order to exploit information about
ingredients and making method of tradition dishes and drink. It is offered to 4
patriarchs from Kn Yng, Kn Ch, Kn Tm and Poh Dam village.
Using this method, I was more dynamic and flexible on asking the patriarchs so
that I got more details information.
Observation method
Dinner is very important with K Ho people families. They always prepare
carefully for their dinner. From that point, I spent three days to go to visit many
K Ho families around six villages in Dinh Trang Hoa commune, and observed
their dinners to see if the traditional cuisine were regularly prepared or not?
Methods of data analysis
All data from observation and quantitative data from questionnaires that I got were
listed and arranged logically in order to work it out easily.
All qualitative data were collected by interviewing four patriarchs were selected
again before using for different parts of the research.
IV. FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS
1. The traditional cuisine of K Ho people in Dinh Trang Hoa commune
Living between mountainous areas, beside the main food such as rice, cornK
Ho people also take full advantage of natural vegetables as well as animals which
are available in the mountains, streams even in their gardens.
Based on the content of the interview, there are three most typical of traditional
dishes and one most typical of traditional drinks of K Ho people in Dinh Trang
Hoa commune. Those dishes are: Bip S py, Bip Prng and Bln Prn.
According the patriarchs, these foods used to familiar to daily meals of many K

Ho families in Dinh Trang Hoa. And one most typical drink is Tr nm; this
kind of drink is a part that is indispensable in different occasions among K Ho
people.
2. The making method of K Ho typical dishes and drink
Most of traditional dishes and drinks of K Ho people are simple and easy to
make. They are processed from natural materials selected from streams, mountain,
so they brings specific flavor, mountainous flavor.
2.1. Bip S Py
Bip S Py is a kind of soup. It is Bip S cooked with rice flour.
Ingredients
The main materials of this dish are: Bip S and rice flour.

Rice and Br nhu

Bip S or rau bp in Vietnamese is a kind of trees mostly grows in mountains
in Lam Dong province. Its leaves are quite red and have sweet taste.
In addition, to make this dish more flavor, K Ho people often add Br nhu or
l bt ngt in Vietmamese when cooking.
Cooking method
Young and tender leaves of Bip S are used to make this dish. Rice and Br
nhu are together carefully grind in the mortar to make soft and smooth flour.
Then, all of them are boiled with great flames in about 30 minutes, and this
mixture need to be regularly stirred during cooking time in order to make rice be
cooked without clot. And the last step is to flavor salt and seasoning powder.

A bowl of Bip S py
Simple, easy to cook, but this dish bring natural flavor to K Ho people meal. The
word Py here is a verb which means stirs a mixture regularly. It seems that by
Py, the flavor of the dish becomes more and more charming.
2.2. Bip Prng
Bip Prng is Bip S and gl mixed together in a young bamboo tube before
cooking.

Ingredients

Main ingredients: gl, bip s and young bamboo tube.

The main materials are Bip S and Gl. Gl is called t my in
Vietnamese is a kind of tree with thorns, and its white core, which is used as food,
is bitter.
To make the dish more colorful and delicious, beside two main materials above
people add tiny shrimps and mountain crabs caught from streams in the mountain.
This dish needs a special tool to cook. That is young bamboo tube.
Cooking method
Gl is sliced into small pieces. After that, they and young tender Bip S
leaves will be put into young bamboo tube. Tiny shrimps, mountain crabs, salt and
seasoning powder are also put into the tube before cooking. The preparation step is

completed, and the dish is ready to cook. Young bamboo tube with full materials
is roasted on great flames. The tube should be turn carefully during cooking time
to make all materials be definitely cooked.

A dish of Bip Prng

With special cooking method, the dish also brings special flavor. Sweet test of
Bip s, bitter test of Gl, and specific test of tiny shrimps and mountain crabs
all together create attractive dish for people who have tried it once.
2.3. Bln Prn
Bln Prn is the name of dish which Bln and Prn are cooked together. Bln is
a kind of tomato. It looks like egg plants, yet much smaller than egg plants. Prn is
also a kind of tomato, but it brings bitter flavor, and in Vietnamese prn is called
c ng.
Ingredients

Bln, Prn, dried fishes and earthen pot.

Of course, Bln and Prn are two main ingredients of this dish.

To improve its flavor, K Ho people add dried fishes or bacons when cooking.
And this dish will be more delicious if it is cooked in an earthen pot of K Ho
people.
Cooking method

A bowl of Bln Prn

Bln, Prn, dried fishes or bacons are simply hard-boiled in earthen pot. When
they are done, seasoning salt and seasoning powder and the dish is completed.
Simple cooking method, pregnant with countryside flavor, the dish is example of
many other dishes of K Ho people which are simple, but special.
2.4. Tr Nm
Tr Nm or Ru cn (wine drunk out of a jar through pipes), a very
popular drink among the highlanders, is a kind of alcoholic drink.
Ingredients
The main ingredients of Tr Nm include rice crust at the bottom of the pot,
rice husk, yeast,cassava roots. In addition to make Tr Nm, banana leaves is
also used.
Making method
First of all, the rice crust at the bottom of the pot will be boiled and fast cooled.
Then, all the main materials will be mixed together. After that, they are wrapped
with large banana leaves and put into the jar, materials prepared should be put full
the jar. Then, just simply tight cover the jar with is lid and wait for the

fermentation which often last for three months. After this processing, Tr Nm
can be used in many occasions and festivals of K Ho people.

Tr Nm is ready for fermentation period

Tr Nm is a typical drink of K Ho people, strange flavor; whoever has tasted
Tr Nm will perceive that its flavor is unforgettable.
3. The popularity of K Ho peoples traditional cuisine among them in Dinh
Trang Hoa commune nowadays
3.1.1. The popularity of traditional dishes among K Ho popular in Dinh Trang
Hoa commune
From the quantitative data that were collected by handling out questionnaires. I
have the pie chart below about the traditional dishes popularity:
The reality of the popularity of traditional dishes among K Ho people in Dinh Trang Hoa commune

do notlike
liketotoeat;
eat;15%
40%do not know name ; 20%
do not know method of cooking; 25%

In the 300 samples in six villages in Dinh Trang Hoa commune that I have
surveyed, there is 20% of the samples do not know the name of their traditional

dishes, and the majority is the people in the age of 15 to 20. It reflects that K Ho
teenagers (young generations) do not care about their custom or tradition,
especially, their traditional cuisine.
25% of them know their traditional cuisine, but they do not know the making
method. Also, they are the samples from 15 to 25 years old. So, a confirmation is
the making methods of traditional cuisine are being vanished slowly among young
K Ho generations.
The rest, 55% of the samples know both their traditional dishes and cooking
method, but the amount like to eat their traditional dishes is far less than the
amount who do not like to eat, 40% of them do not like to eat their traditional
dishes, and only 15% of them like. And, among them, the amount of male do not
like traditional dishes is much more that female.
That is the reality which is not very satisfactory about preserving culinary culture
of K Ho people in Dinh Trang Hoa commune.
3.1.2. The popularity of traditional dishes among K Ho families
The dinner of K Ho people reflects what dishes they prefer eating. By observing
their dinner, I see that the traditional dishes that I have mentioned above is not
frequently appear in their meal. They often prepare bacons, chicken and vegetables
which are available in the market nowadays like: cauliflower, mustard green and
so on. This means among K Ho families, traditional dishes are not popular any
more. They only prepare traditional dishes when they are asked by the elderly.
This is a sad reality of preserving K Ho culinary culture.
3.1.3. The popularity of traditional drink Tr nm
According to the content of the interview and the result of questionnaires, Tr
Nm is a traditional drink that is still very popular with K Ho people. Most of

men, even women in Dinh Trang Hoa commune love drinking Tr Nm for its
really good taste. The jar containing the wine is put at a fixed place (in the middle
of the house or the yard), so that as many people as possible can drink it. Pipes are
put into the jar prior to drinking and a basinful of pure water is placed beside it.
Tr Nm is a kind of drink which is indispensable in many customs of K Ho
people such as: in wedding, in Tet holiday, in thanks giving (after harvesting
coffee). Nowadays, every family all prepares Tr Nm for New Year. And, the
parties with Tr Nm always bring to the partiers warm and happy atmosphere.
Host and guests forget all their daily worries and enjoy to the utmost the pleasure
of tasting Tr Nm.
V.
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
1. Conclusion
There are many special points among K Ho traditional cuisine. K Ho people
traditional cuisine is made from natural materials. They also have special cooking
method by special coking tools. The three most typical traditional dishes of K Ho
people are Bip s py, Bln Prn, Bip Prng and one most typical
traditional drink is Tr Nm. The popularity of these typical traditional cuisines
among K Ho people in Dinh Trang Hoa commune is not the same. Traditional
dishes become not familiar with K Ho people, especially among young K Ho
people. In contrast, the typical drink, Tr Nm, still remains its popularity
among all K Ho generation.
2. Recommendations

With the reality mentioned about the popularity of K Ho peoples traditional

cuisine in general and traditional dishes in particular, the elderly should impart to
their young generations about traditional cuisine as well as its making method.
The K Ho young generations should also aware that it is very important and
necessary to keep their culture, especially, their culinary culture.
The local appropriate authorities should hold some traditional cuisine competitions
for the natives to preserve K Ho people culinary culture in particular and
Vietnamese culinary culture in general.
REFERENCES
Do Van Anh (1999). X ngi M Lnh Th Ca Thn Linh (M peoples
territory- the domain of God). Dong Nai Publisher (NXB ng Nai).
Linh Nga NIEKDAM (Ed.) (2011). Vn Ha Dn Gian Truyn Thng Ca Dn
Tc K Ho (traditional culture of K Ho community). Education Publisher (NXB
Gio Dc).
Nguyen Vo Hinh (2011). Learn about Ko Ho minority group (Tm hiu v ngi
dn tc thiu s C Ho). [Online]. Available at:
http://www.impe-qn.org.vn/impe
qn/vn/portal/InfoDetail.jsp?
area=58&cat=1106&ID=4730. Retreived on 5 December 2012.
Wikipedia (2012). Cuisine. Definition. [Online]. Available at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuisine . Retreived on 4 December 2012.
Wikimapia (2012). Dinh Trang Hoa commune. [Online]. Available at:
http://wikimapia.org/23723714-vi-x-inh-trang-ha. Retreived on 3 December
2012.
Wikipedia (2012). Ko Ho people.[Online]. Available at:
http://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngi-C-Ho. Retreived on 3 December 2012.
Wikipedia (2012). Tradition. Definition. [Online]. Available at:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/tradition. Retrieved on 3 December 2012.
APPENDICES

APPENDIX A: Questionnaire
THE TRADITIONAL CUISINE OF K HO PEOPLE IN DINH TRANG HOA
COMMUNE AND ITS POPULARITY AMONG THEM NOWADAYS

Thank you for participating in the research The traditional cuisine of K Ho

people in Dinh Trang Hoa commune and its popularity among them nowadays. If
you have any question regarding the completion of this questionnaire, please
contact Mr. Brwing.
Email: krwing123@gmail.com
Personal information
Gender:
Male
Female
Age:
15-30
31-45
Address: ..village (name of your village)
1. Do you know any kind of K Ho traditional dishes and dinks?
a. Yes
b. No
If yes, answer questions below:
1a. How many types do you know?
a. 1
b. 3
c. 5
d. over 5 e. different number
1b. Can you make all those dishes and drinks by yourself?
a. No
b. Some of them. c. Half of them d. Most of them
e. Yes
2. Do you know Bip s py, Bln Prn, Bip Prng and Tr Nm?
a. Yes
b. Some of them
c. No
If yes, answer question number 3 and 4:
3. Do you know how to make them?
a. Yes
b. No
4. How often do your families prepare those Dishes?
a. Never b. Sometimes c. often d. usually
5. Do you prefer eating those traditional dishes or modern dishes like roasted
chicken or roasted pork?
a. Traditional dishes
b. Modern dishes
c. Both of them.
6. In your opinions, how are K Ho traditional dishes and drink mentioned in
question number 2?

7. According to you, what is one most popular K Ho peoples traditional

drink? Name it:
8. How do you feel about its flavor?

..

Phiu phng vn
m thc truyn thng v s ph bin ca m thc ti nhng ngi K
Ho x inh Trang Ha ngy nay.
Cm n s hp tc ca mi ngi. Hm nay ti lm phiu phng vn ny
nghin cu v ch m thc truyn thng v s ph bin ca m thc ti
nhng ngi K Ho x inh Trang Ha ngy nay. Nu cc bn c bt c vn
g cha r v phiu phng vn ny, xin vui long lin h K Brwing qua a ch
Email: krwing123@gmail.com.
Thng tin c nhn
Gii tnh :
Nam
N
Tui:
15-30
31-45
a ch: (tn lng)
1. Bn c bit nhng mn n v thc ung truyn thng ca ngi K Ho
khng?
a. C
b. Khng
Nu c, tr li nhng cu sau:
1a. Bn bit c my loi mn n v thc ungtruyn thng ?
a. 1
b. 3
c. 5
d. Trn 5
e. S khc
1b. Bn c t mnh lm c nhng m thc m ban bit khng?

a. Khng

b. mt t

c.mt na

d. a phn

e. c

2. Bn c bit Bip s py, Bln Prn, Bip Prng v Tr Nm?

a. C
b. th bit c th khng
c. Khng bit
Nu c th tr li cu 3 v 4:
3. Bn c bit lm nhng mn khng?
a. C
b.
Khng
4. Gia nh bn c thng nu nhng mn ny khng?
a. Khng bao gi
b. i khi
c. thng xuyn
d. lun lun
5. Gia mn n truyn thng v mn n thi nay nh mn g quay, ln quay,
bn thch n mn no hn ?
a. Mn truyn thng
b. mn thi nay
c. c hai
6. Bn thy nhng mn n v thc ung a ra cu s 2 th nh th no?

.
7. Theo bn thc ung no l thc ung truyn thng ca dn tc bn?
Nu tn:
8. Bn cm nhn nh th no v hng v ca thc ung m bn cho l thc
ung truyn thng?
...
...
APPENDIX B: Interview questions
1. Could you name three most typical traditional dishes and one most typical
drink of K Ho people in Dinh Trang Hoa commune?
2. Could you tell me the details about them include ingredients, the making
method of each dishes and drink?
3. What are your commendations or opinions about those traditional dishes and
drink?

Cu hi phng vn

1. ng/ B c th cho bit tn ba mn n truyn thng c trng v mt thc

ung truyn thng c trng ca ngi K Ho y khng ?
2. Bc c th chia s chi tit hn v cc loi m thc va nu khng ? V
nguyn liu, cng nh l v cch ch bin.
3. Nhng nh gi, hay nhng kin c nhn ca bc v cc loi m thc ny l
g ?