Men Men: A Traditional Dish of the H’Mong People in Northwest Vietnam

Men men is the name of a traditional dish belonging to the H’Mong ethnic group residing in the mountainous Northwest region of Vietnam. Due to their living conditions on high rocky slopes, lacking suitable land for rice cultivation, maize has become the primary food source for generations. The H’Mong people prepare men men – also known as steamed cornmeal – from maize grown in rocky crevices high up on mountains.

Men men is considered the main dish for highland ethnic communities because it’s made from readily available maize. Additionally, it can be conveniently stored for a day or even a few days when people travel to fields or forests. However, preparing this dish requires considerable time and effort from H’Mong women to achieve a flavorful batch. While not overly complicated, making men men involves multiple steps and requires significant experience.

To make men men, maize is traditionally ground by hand using two heavy, stacked stone millstones. Initially, maize kernels are ground to remove the husks, then ground again into fine flour. Steaming the maize flour involves two separate phases. In the first phase, cornmeal is placed into a special steamer (tro), sprinkled with water, and stirred thoroughly to prevent clumping. During this initial steaming, careful fire control ensures even cooking, and once a fragrant aroma rises, the cornmeal is taken out, spread onto a bamboo tray (met), and loosened. This step ensures that the second steaming produces fully cooked, sticky, and fragrant cornmeal. The second steaming requires more careful attention, and the dish is considered ready when it becomes sticky, golden, and richly aromatic.

In local markets, men men is often enjoyed alongside thang co (traditional horse-meat soup). Another indispensable accompaniment to men men is grilled chili peppers. Due to the extremely cold climate in the highlands, the H’Mong people are particularly adept at eating spicy foods to stay warm. The spicier the chili, the better, with the best choice being ot thoc – tiny, rice-grain-sized chilies. These chilies are grilled, pounded with salt, and paired with men men, creating an incredibly satisfying combination.

Today, as living standards have improved, the H’Mong have largely transitioned from eating men men to consuming rice in their daily meals. However, on special occasions such as festivals or holidays, men men is still carefully prepared and respectfully placed upon ancestral altars, symbolizing remembrance of their difficult roots. Moreover, for any traveler visiting Northwest Vietnam, missing out on tasting men men means missing an essential part of experiencing the region’s fascinating and unique culture.