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As Tet arrives and spring unfolds, it's a time for family to gather, share heartwarming conversations, and relish delicious dishes. Deciding what to eat on Tet that is both novel, enticing, and easy to find ingredients for can be quite challenging in the days leading up to Tet Nguyen Dan. Below are some mouthwatering dishes that are not only easy to prepare but also sure to please the palates of those celebrating Tet Nguyen Dan
The Tet feast should be diverse and appealing (image ST)
What to eat during Tet?
1. Marinated Beef Corn
Besides the intricate and potentially overwhelming dishes during Tet, consider trying marinated beef corn for a delightful change. Making marinated beef corn is a simple process. The dish offers a harmonious blend of salty, sweet, and mildly tangy flavors with tender beef tendons, making it an ideal appetizer. Additionally, you can roll it in rice paper with beef corn, fresh greens, pickled carrots, and a hint of vermicelli for a refreshing treat during the festive days
Marinated beef corn is easy to prepare and irresistibly enticing (image: ST)
2. Fried Spring Rolls
Indulge in the crispy delight of hot spring rolls, a frequent guest on the Tet feast table. Elevate your festive spread with unique and tantalizing spring rolls that require just a few simple tweaks. Instead of sticking to the traditional recipe, get creative with various modifications, bringing a distinctive yet familiar flavor to your table.
Spring rolls are a regular feature in Tet holiday meals (Image: ST)
Seafood Tempura Rolls
Differing from regular spring rolls, seafood tempura rolls involve adding tapioca flour, tempura flour, and mung bean rice paper instead of the usual rice paper. The outer layer of batter gives the rolls a beautiful golden hue after frying. Not only do they boast an appealing appearance, but the harmonious blend of seafood filling and crispy outer layer creates an irresistible taste.
Irresistibly crispy seafood spring rolls with a divine flavor (photo by ST)
Seaweed spring rolls
Seaweed spring rolls are pork-free, offering a unique and refreshing taste. These rolls exude the refreshing aroma of seaweed, crisp on the outside, and tender on the inside. The flavors of various ingredients blend harmoniously, especially when dipped in a special sauce made with ginger, kimchi water, and soy sauce.
Homemade seaweed spring rolls are not only easy to make but also great for your health (photo by ST)
Savory Vegan Rolls
There are various ways to create delicious vegan rolls with different ingredients. The rolls bring out the natural sweet and refreshing flavors of mushrooms, vegetables, and the crispy texture from rice paper or rice sheets. Including vegan rolls in the Tet holiday menu adds diversity and harmony to the festive cuisine.
Crispy and crunchy vegan rolls for a unique dining experience (Photo by ST)
3. Chicken-Free Sausage
Discover a new culinary adventure with the enticing and exotic steamed chicken sausage. Its rich, savory flavor and succulent meat make it a mouthwatering delight. The aromatic essence, complemented by the distinctive scent of shiitake mushrooms, will leave an unforgettable impression on your palate.
Indulge in the delectable richness of the unique and flavorful chicken sausage. The aroma is so enticing that you won't be able to resist. The combination of bold taste and tender meat guarantees a satisfying culinary experience. Don't miss out on the unforgettable aroma enhanced by the earthy fragrance of shiitake mushrooms.
4. Five-color Sausage
Five-color sausage is a traditional and popular dish in Vietnamese Tet feasts. If you're tired of ordinary sausages, try your hand at making this extraordinary and delicious five-color sausage. The visually appealing slices, the crispy texture reminiscent of pig's ear, and the rich flavor of salted eggs will undoubtedly please your family.
The vibrant colors of the five elements dish are truly captivating (Photo by ST)
5. Whole fish
A popular dish in many Western and Chinese cultures during the New Year. The fish symbolizes good luck for three reasons: the round scales represent money, swimming in a group signifies prosperity, and swimming forward symbolizes development. Therefore, during Tet, when preparing the fish, it is important to keep the head, tail, and fins intact for good luck throughout the year. Also, when consuming one side of the fish, flipping it over is discouraged as it is believed to be akin to overturning a boat, considered inauspicious.
Whole fish symbolizes good luck (Photo by ST)
Indulge in the exquisite flavor of Salted Onions
Salted Onions hold a significant place in the heart of Vietnamese traditions, especially during the annual Lunar New Year festivities. More than just a side dish, these tangy, crispy delights not only complement other dishes but also tantalize the taste buds, enhancing the overall culinary experience. With its sour and crunchy profile, Salted Onions perfectly accompany dishes like sticky rice cakes, cured meats, fried spring rolls, and more, making them irresistibly delightful.
Salted Onions elevating the Tết day feast (Photo by ST)
Savor the freshness of Banana Blossom Salad
Banana flower salad, originally a rustic Vietnamese dish, transforms into a delicious and enticing delicacy with a touch of creativity. During Tet, indulging in too many fried or sautéed dishes can be overwhelming; however, banana flower salad comes to the rescue, making the meal more appealing. The combination of crispy pork skin and crunchy banana flower creates a delightful texture that is both satisfying and uniquely flavorful. The salad has a hint of citrusy lime, a touch of chili spiciness, and the harmonious blend of various vegetables adds an extra layer of attractiveness to the meal. It's a refreshing dish, light on fat, and the delightful taste will perfectly complement your palate.
Banana flower salad – the savior of Tet feasts (Photo: ST)
8. Aspic
Aspic is an indispensable traditional dish on the Tet table. This savory dish can be made with pork or chicken, but if your Tet feast already includes many pork-based dishes, add chicken aspic to the menu for a fragrant and refreshing option. Wrap a piece of the meat, add a strand of pickled mustard greens, dip it in pure fish sauce with floating chili slices, and savor the tangy, spicy taste in the coolness of the early year.
Traditional Northern-style Braised Chicken - a culinary heritage captured in an ST photo
9. Phoenix Sausage
When it comes to phoenix sausage, you might envision a complex dish used to present offerings to ancient kings and queens. However, nowadays, with simple ingredients, you can create a novel and visually appealing dish. The phoenix, one of the four mythical creatures, makes this sausage symbolic of good luck and prosperity for the family during the Tet feast.
Phoenix Sausage symbolizing good luck (ST Photo)
10. Sweet and Sour Beef Tendon
Introducing a delightful addition to your Tet menu – the sweet and sour beef tendon. Tangy, sweet, and slightly spicy, tantalizing your taste buds with a unique crispy texture, this dish offers a refreshing change from the usual deep-fried or sticky rice options during Tet. Say goodbye to greasy dishes and traditional Tet fare; this dish is here to bring variety and relief from monotony.
Sweet and Sour Beef Tendon – an enticing festive appetizer (Photo: ST)
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