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The ritual of offering to Ong Cong Ong Tao is a traditional custom of the Vietnamese people observed on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month every year. While there may be slight variations in the offering trays for Ong Cong Ong Tao across different regions, today Team PasGo will share about the offering trays from the Northern, Central, and Southern regions.
Offering trays for Ong Cong Ong Tao across the three regions have differences, namely:
1. Offering Tray for Ong Cong Ong Tao in the Northern Region
The offering tray for Ong Cong Ong Tao in the Northern Region is the most elaborate among the three regions, featuring traditional dishes such as Sticky Rice, Chicken, Square Glutinous Rice Cake, and Spring Rolls.
A complete offering tray for Ong Cong Ong Tao in the Northern Region typically includes:
- 1 boiled chicken garnished with carved chili flowers or crisscrossed wings.
- 1 plate of boiled pork or pork trotters.
- 1 plate of pork sausage.
- 1 square glutinous rice cake or sticky rice.
- 1 plate of assorted stir-fried vegetables.
- 1 bowl of bamboo shoot soup with pork trotters.
- 1 plate of sweet dessert.
- 1 jar of chrysanthemum flowers.
- 1 betel nut, betel leaves.
- 1 plate of fruit (with 3 - 5 types of fruit).
- 1 plate of salt, 1 plate of rice.
- 1 pot of lotus tea.
- 1 bottle of fermented glutinous rice wine.
- 1 jar of peach blossoms.
Square glutinous rice cake, boiled chicken, fried spring rolls,... are indispensable dishes in the offering tray for Ong Cong Ong Tao in the Northern Region.
2. Offering Tray for Ong Cong Ong Tao in the Central Region
The offering tray for Ong Cong Ong Tao in the Central Region is considered a blend of the Northern and Southern regions as it combines similarities with the offering tray for Ong Cong Ong Tao in the Northern Region with dishes like Rice, Soup, Boiled Chicken, Boiled Meat, Fried Spring Rolls... along with the characteristic dish of sweetened sticky rice of the Southern Region.
In the offering tray for Ong Cong Ong Tao in the Central Region, there is often tuna or bonito, which is a distinctive dish of the local people.
3. Offering Tray for Ong Cong Ong Tao in the Southern Region
The offering tray for Ong Cong Ong Tao in the Southern Region also shares similarities with those in the Northern Region. In addition to the main savory dishes like Spring Rolls, Pork Sausage, Square Glutinous Rice Cake, Pickled Onions, Boiled Chicken... people in the Southern Region also include a plate of peanuts, black sesame candy...
Generally, the simplest and most common offering tray for Ong Cong Ong Tao in the Southern Region typically includes dishes such as:
- Boiled or roasted chicken.
- Boiled pork.
- Stir-fried vegetables.
- Pork sausage.
- Red sticky rice.
- Pickled vegetables.
- Bamboo shoot soup.
- Fresh fruits.
- Betel leaves and areca nuts.
- Tea, wine.
Additionally, people in the Southern Region also add sweet sticky rice dessert to the offering tray on the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month or simply a plate of fruits can suffice for the offering to Ong Cong Ong Tao.
Alongside the savory offerings for the Kitchen Gods, many Vietnamese people are transitioning to preparing a simple vegetarian altar for the Kitchen Gods. Making rice offerings to the Kitchen Gods with vegetarian ingredients is both simple and a gesture of deep respect.
4. The quickest way to prepare an altar for the Kitchen Gods with genuine sincerity
When is the best day to prepare an altar for the Kitchen Gods' offerings?
According to feng shui beliefs, choosing the right day and time to prepare offerings for the Kitchen Gods in 2024 greatly influences the family's luck in the new year.
Refer to the auspicious dates and times for Kitchen Gods' offerings so you can fully prepare the altar for Kitchen Gods, bringing much peace, wealth, and luck.
Quick tips for preparing the Kitchen Gods' altar
Here are some tips for a simple yet elegant Kitchen Gods' altar, expressing sincere respect:
- Plan the menu and prepare ingredients in advance: This helps you be more proactive in buying ingredients and calculating cooking time appropriately. It also reduces price hikes and overcrowding when shopping.
- Order some basic dishes: Basic dishes like sticky rice and boiled chicken can be ordered from outside. This can save you half the time of preparing the altar.
- Prepare the altar with family members: The whole family prepares the Kitchen Gods' altar together to create a meaningful meal, expressing heartfelt reverence to the deities.
- Prepare the Kitchen Gods' altar quickly and effortlessly
Ngoc Hoa & Team PasGo compilation
