Hanoi bustling with activity during the Lunar New Year making 'banh troi' and 'banh chay'

It's that time of the year again, on the 3rd day of the lunar calendar – the annual Cold Food Festival, families in Hanoi and Northern provinces set aside their busy schedules to mold 'banh troi' and 'banh chay' for ancestral offerings.

Noted on the small Hang Dao street (Hoan Kiem, Hanoi) from 6 am, a small sidewalk stall buzzes with people molding and eagerly awaiting 'banh troi' and 'banh chay'. The skilled hands of the artisans effortlessly transform the sticky rice dough into beautiful, round-shaped 'banh troi' and 'banh chay'...

Known as the Cold Food Festival (despite the irony of warm and bustling activities), people do not refrain from cooking throughout the day. On Cold Food Festival day, 'banh troi' and 'banh chay' take the spotlight, earning it the title of the 'banh troi, banh chay' festival.

Both of these cakes are crafted from glutinous rice flour with a touch of yellow flower, yet each possesses its own distinct flavor. 'Banh troi' may be filled with brown sugar or honey. After molding, the cakes take a plunge into boiling water until they 'sink three times and float seven times,' then they are fished out and soaked in boiled water to cool and firm up before gracefully arranged on a plate. To add visual charm, sesame seeds are delicately sprinkled on top, imparting a crispy and fragrant touch.

'Banh chay,' about 2-3 times larger than 'banh troi,' harbors a luscious green bean filling cooked to perfection within the glutinous rice outer layer. The cakes are lifted onto a bowl (3-4 pieces per bowl) and gently drizzled with a tad of sweet tea infused with arrowroot or pandan leaf powder.

Tet Han Thuc is believed to have its origins in China. However, in our country, there are many legends suggesting that 'banh troi' and 'banh chay' date back to the time of the Hung Kings. The tradition of making these cakes serves to recall the legend of 'wrapping a hundred eggs' by Mother Au Co. Most notably, during the Ly dynasty, Vietnamese people celebrated Tet Han Thuc primarily for Buddhist rituals and ancestral worship. On this day, people did not refrain from cooking and continued their culinary activities as usual.

 As reported by Tuoitre.vn

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Reference: Travel Handbook from Mytour