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So here comes the Lunar New Year of the Ox 2021 again, folks. It's the time for family reunions after a year of hard work. Therefore, the Tet feast needs to be meticulously prepared, symbolizing abundance, happiness, and wishes for a prosperous new year.
In today's article, Vntrip shares the list of traditional Tet dishes of Vietnamese people across the three regions: North - Central - South for your reference.
Traditional Tet feast in Vietnam (Photo: ST)
Delicious Dishes on Vietnamese Tet Holiday
In our country, each region has its own distinctive Tet feast. Therefore, it has created a rich and diverse culinary culture on Tet days, unique to Vietnam.
Delicious Tet Dishes in the Northern Region
Delicious Tet Dishes in the Northern Region (Photo: ST)
In the culinary culture of ancient Hanoi, emphasis was always placed on aesthetics, so the Tet feast had to be meticulously prepared and visually appealing. A large feast would typically consist of 6 bowls and 6 plates or 8 bowls and 8 plates to symbolize prosperity and wealth. Despite the passage of time, the Tet feast in the Northern region still retains the true traditional essence of the Vietnamese people.
1. Chung Cake
Traditional chung cake on Tet day in the Northern region (Photo: ST)
Chung cake has a long history in Vietnamese culinary culture. Therefore, it is an indispensable dish in the Tet feast of people in the Northern region. The cake symbolizes the earth and is used to express the gratitude of Prince Lang Lieu to King Hung, the 16th generation, and to the land and sky.
Green square chung cake pot on Tet day (Photo: ST)
The harmonious combination of sticky rice, sweet beans, light spicy pepper, and fatty meat has created a unique Tet flavor, an irresistible delicacy. The scene of waiting for the chung cake pot to cook has become ingrained in the subconscious of Northern people every Tet.
Warm scene of children watching chung cake pot on Tet day (Photo: ST)
Not only displayed in the traditional feasts of Northern people, but this dish is also used as a gift for newcomers or friends.
2. Red sticky rice
Red sticky rice on Tet day (Photo: ST)
According to ancient beliefs, red is the color of luck, the color of happiness for couples. Therefore, on full moon days, festivals, especially Tet, there must be a plate of red sticky rice.
Red sticky rice is an indispensable dish in the Tet feast (Photo: ST)
Red sticky rice is made from delicious glutinous rice mixed with fresh gac fruit and steamed. After being cooked, the sticky rice will have a bright red color, very beautiful and attractive. When eating, you will feel the chewy texture of glutinous rice, the richness of coconut milk, and the sweetness of sugar.
3. Pickled onions
Pickled onions in Northern Vietnam (Photo: ST)
In the Tet feast of Vietnamese people, there are many delicious dishes, from sophisticated delicacies to simple, rustic ones. And one of the rustic dishes that holds a special place in the traditional feast of Northern Vietnamese people is pickled onions, also known as pickled shallots.
Pickled onions are an effective antidote to holiday fatigue (Image: collected)
With its slightly sour and spicy taste, pickled onions are delicious when served with square sticky rice cakes or jellied meat. This is the most effective antidote to holiday fatigue that you need to know. Even as life changes, one thing is for sure, Vietnam will always have square sticky rice cakes and pickled onions as the companion dishes during the Tet holiday.
4. Pork sausage
Pork sausage in Northern Vietnam (Photo: ST)
As the centerpiece of the Tet feast, pork sausage seems to be one of the must-have dishes. It symbolizes 'warmth inside and comfort outside, prosperity filling the house,' an indispensable part of Vietnamese cuisine.
There are many delicious types of sausage for you to choose from on Tet (Photo: ST)
This delicious dish is made from pork, ground in a mortar and pestle, wrapped in banana leaves, and boiled until fully cooked. The smooth, crispy, fragrant pieces of sausage are not only a delicious dish but also a gift for family members.
5. Boiled chicken
Boiled chicken is a familiar dish during Tet in the North (Photo: ST)
In every feast, whether it's a wedding, engagement, birthday, or housewarming, boiled chicken is a must-have dish. And during Tet, it's no exception. A simple dish yet indispensable in the Tet feast of people from the North. The sweet aroma of the chicken, paired with lime leaves and a chili salt dip, creates a unique flavor that is unforgettable.
6. Fried spring rolls
Golden crispy fried spring rolls (Photo: ST)
With a golden crispy exterior and a filling of meat, mushrooms, and vermicelli inside, fried spring rolls are a unique and irresistible dish that cannot be missed during the Tet days of people in the North. This dish is beloved by many and is considered the 'soul and essence' of the Vietnamese people.
Delicious dishes for Tet in Central Vietnam
Tet atmosphere in Central Vietnam (Photo: ST)
In the North, people welcome the spring with cherry blossom branches, green square sticky rice cakes, fatty pork, and pickled onions. Meanwhile, in Central Vietnam, people eagerly welcome the spring with yellow apricot blossom branches, cylindrical glutinous rice cakes, sour meat, sour fermented meat rolls, and more.
1. Tet cake
Image of Tet cake in Central Vietnam (Photo: ST)
Tet cake symbolizes the harmony of land and sky, one of the indispensable traditional dishes in the Tet feast of people in Central Vietnam. While the North has Chung cake wrapped in dong leaves, Tet cake in Central Vietnam is wrapped in banana leaves.
Although made from similar ingredients, Tet cake is wrapped into cylindrical shapes. Thanks to the simplicity of the cake, diners can distinctly taste the deliciousness of each ingredient inside, incredibly delicious and enticing.
2. Fermented pork roll
Fermented pork roll in Thanh Hoa (Photo: ST)
If you have the chance to celebrate Tet in the Central region, you will be treated with some sips of alcohol and 'bait' which are grilled fermented pork rolls. This specialty dish is made from pork, marinated with spices, then wrapped in guava leaves or wild betel leaves for a few days to develop a tangy, crispy, and spicy taste.
Central Vietnamese fermented pork rolls are usually smooth, with a mild flavor, and are eaten with garlic and chili flakes to enhance the taste.
3. Pickled Vegetables
Pickled vegetables, an indispensable delicacy during Tet (Photo: ST)
While the Northern region enjoys pickled onions during Tet, the Central region has its own specialty, pickled vegetables. Made from various ingredients such as turnips, carrots, cucumbers, papayas, and radishes, pickled vegetables create an irresistible delicacy.
Although it may sound simple, preparing flavorful and colorful pickled vegetables requires considerable time and meticulousness. Enjoying soft sticky rice cakes with crunchy, tangy pickled vegetables provides an unforgettable culinary experience during Tet.
4. Sour Shrimp
Sour shrimp - Specialty of Hue (Photo: Collected)
Another indispensable dish on the Tet table in Central Vietnam is sour shrimp, a specialty of Hue.
The sweet taste of shrimp, the richness of meat, the spicy and fragrant flavor of galangal, garlic, and chili, the sourness of starfruit, the bitterness of pomelo, the aroma of herbs,... All create a harmonious symphony of flavors that is irresistibly memorable after just one taste.
5. Beef Sausage
Beef sausage in Central Vietnam (Photo: ST)
In the lavish feasts hosted in the early days of spring by the people of Central Vietnam, there is often a platter of pinkish-red beef sausage. With a perfect balance of salty, sweet, crunchy, chewy, and spicy flavors mingled with the distinct aroma of black pepper, this dish has become indispensable for Tet celebrations.
6. Fermented Meat
Marinated Meat in Fish Sauce - Delicious dish for Tet in Central Vietnam (Photo: ST)
Marinated meat in fish sauce is the most common way to preserve meat in many provinces in Central Vietnam during Tet and springtime. The main ingredient can be either pork or beef, which is prepared and then soaked in a mixture of fish sauce and sugar, boiled according to a certain ratio. This dish has a salty-sweet taste and is often served with pickled vegetables, sweet and sour fruits, and fresh herbs.
Delicious dishes for Tet in Southern Vietnam
Tet feast in Southern Vietnam (Photo: ST)
Nam Bo is a region with a developed economy and diverse culture, hence the cuisine here is a blend of various influences from many places.
1. Braised Pork in Coconut Water
A tempting pot of braised pork in coconut water (Photo: ST)
Among the numerous delicious dishes in Saigon, the most famous traditional Tet dish for Southern people is probably braised pork in coconut water, also known as caramelized pork belly. During the days leading up to Tet, alongside making banh tet, Southern families often prepare a large pot of braised pork in coconut water to enjoy during this time. Braised pork belly looks very enticing, easy to eat, and extremely tasty. If you want to savor this dish without feeling overwhelmed, you can enjoy it with pickled vegetables.
2. Pickled Radish with Dried Shrimp
Pickled radish with dried shrimp is the main snack during the Tet days in the South (Photo: ST)
What's unique in the South is entirely different from the Central region, that's pickled radish not eaten with banh tet but usually paired with dried shrimp as a separate dish. The radish is pickled sweet and sour, when eaten with dried shrimp, sprinkling some sugar will make the dish crispy, chewy, savory, sweet enough to satisfy the palate.
3. Banh Tet
Southern-style Banh Tet (Photo: ST)
While banh tet in the Central region is made quite simply, in the South, it has been significantly 'upgraded.' Because here, there are two types of banh, namely savory and sweet. For the savory version, in addition to the traditional ingredients like mung beans and fatty pork, many households also add salted eggs, Chinese sausages to create various flavors.
Tra Cuon Tet Cake - Specialty of Tra Vinh (Photo: ST)
In addition, sweet-filled banh tet is popular with fillings like bananas, red beans, and green beans... Especially, banh tet from the southwestern region looks very appealing, with a square, firm, and beautiful appearance. One of the famous places for mixed-filling banh tet, which is not only delicious but also beautiful, is Tra Vinh with Tra Cuon Tet Cake.
4. Bitter Melon Soup with Stuffed Pork
Bitter Melon Soup with Stuffed Pork (Photo: ST)
For every family in the South, bitter melon soup with stuffed pork is a familiar everyday dish. And it is also used during Tet with the meaning of overcoming difficulties. Moreover, it is also a nutritious dish to cool the body during Tet.
5. Pickled Vegetables
Image of Pickled Vegetables (Photo: ST)
With its cooling nature and delicious crunchiness, pickled vegetables are a popular choice for cooling off during Tet. Pickled vegetables are often eaten with rice or rolled in rice paper, but they are best enjoyed alongside stewed duck eggs for their effective thirst-quenching effect on Tet days. The main ingredients of pickled vegetables include bean sprouts, chives, carrots, making it very nutritious for the body.
6. Grilled Chinese Sausage
Grilled Chinese Sausage - A Specialty Dish of the South (Photo: ST)
One of the popular dishes in the South that everyone knows about is Chinese sausage. Every Tet, the demand for Chinese sausage is indispensable on the dining table of Southern people. With a variety of Chinese sausages ranging from fresh, dried, lean, shrimp, fish...
Chinese sausage can be prepared in many ways such as boiled, fried, grilled before eating. One of the most preferred methods is frying without oil, both delicious and safe for health.
