Nyob Zoo All!
I wanted to talk a little more about rice mixed with water. We call this Mov Ntse Dlej: Mov means rice, ntse means to mix, and dlej means water. Yes, it’s basically cooked rice mixed with water and this is a staple in Hmong cuisine. It’s often eaten alongside a side dish, a stir fry, BBQ meats, seafood, ginger with salt, eggs, and the list goes on. Not only do Hmong people eat rice with water, but Koreans, Chinese, Cambodians, Miens, and Thai people do too. In the Hmong culture, rice with water was often eaten as a struggle food when access to food was limited. Mixing water with rice helped fill the stomach and made the meal last longer when food was scarce. It was also something farmers would eat after coming home from a long day of farm work because it was refreshing. Adding water to cooked rice made it easier to eat and refreshing at the same time. To this day, it’s still something many Hmong people enjoy on a daily basis.
The thing about rice and water is that it should never be made with cold cooked rice. It should always be made with hot cooked rice. The recommended water to use is filtered or purified water, not tap water. The way to enjoy rice with water is to mix filtered or purified water with hot cooked rice. Iced water mixed with hot cooked rice is also common, especially during the hotter months because it’s refreshing. For me, the NO GO is using tap water with either cold or hot rice. Cold cooked rice with cold iced water is also a NO. That’s basically eating hard rice.
What I ate with Mov Ntse Dlej and still till this day
Ginger and salt: The old school classic combo. The spiciness of fresh ginger dipped in a little salt goes well with the subtle, plain flavor of rice with water. This is a combo you’ll still see many Hmong people eat in Thailand and Laos, as it’s something light and enjoyable. Ginger is also widely cultivated by Hmong people in Thailand and Laos, so it’s often something they would eat or have available to enjoy with rice. Instead of ginger with salt, some may enjoy rice and water with fresh chili pepper and salt.
Fried chicken and pepper: This was and still is an amazing combo I grew up with. The rice with water helps tone down the greasiness of the fried chicken. Having pepper dip on the side is a must to give more flavor to the chicken and rice.
Nqaj Nyuj Qhaa (smoked beef): Smoked beef is probably one of my favorites to pair with mov ntse dlej. It’s especially good if the smoked beef is homemade. Because smoked beef is often times made with freshly butchered cow, seasoned perfectly, and cooked over charcoal for hours, the flavor is richer and much more robust compared to store bought ones. The saltiness and smokiness of the beef works well with the rice & water. Beef jerky is also a good alternative and something I grew up eating with as well. Especially microwaving beef jerky sticks.
Hot dogs: Microwaving hot dogs to pair with mov ntse dlej was a childhood combo I grew up with. Cheap, simple, and filling. As a kid, it was an easy, fast meal to have before heading out to school. The salty hot dogs with rice and water complemented each other well. Sometimes, when we felt like it, pepper dip was also served on the side to dip the hot dogs in. If you know you know because the struggle was real.
Other things I also ate mov ntse dlej with growing up:
- Fried eggs with fish sauce
- Crispy bacon
- Fried fish
- Hot Cheetos
- Pan seared Bologna
- Oven baked kielbasa
- Pickled mustard greens
Not only do Hmong people enjoy rice with water, we love it with boiled Hmong pumpkin water called Zaub ntsuag taub or Taub hau. The boiled pumpkin is slightly sweet and pairs perfectly with fresh hot rice. This combo is mostly eaten during autumn through winter as it’s often served warm. It can also be served cold (cold pumpkin water with hot rice) for a more refreshing flavor profile. 
Iced scraped cucumber water is also poured over hot cooked rice. This is a combo you’ll see Hmong people enjoy eating during hot summer days as it’s refreshing and helps cool the body temperature. 
I hope you learn a little more about Hmong food. If you eat rice mixed with water, let me know what you like to eat it with.
-Cindy Her
