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1. Comprehensive instructions for preparing the most accurate Lunar New Year offering tray
Cultural experts consider the Tet rice meal a unique cultural ritual in Vietnam. Folklore suggests it's when people invite the Kitchen Gods back to earth after their ascent to heaven on December 23rd to oversee family kitchens.
The Lunar New Year offering tray holds significance in honoring ancestors, inviting departed loved ones to join in the Tet celebration. It serves as a familial gathering across generations, concluding the past year and welcoming the new with family unity and prosperity.
Economic circumstances dictate varying food quantities for different families. However, on the 30th of Tet, it's advisable to prepare the Lunar New Year offering tray and the New Year's Eve tray. The ritualistic invitation of deities and ancestors for Tet is led by the eldest male in the household.
In past years, Vietnamese Lunar New Year trays traditionally featured 6 bowls of bamboo shoots, buns, squid, floating fern, noodles, mushrooms, and 8 plates of boiled chicken, sausage, cinnamon pork, salted eggs, pickled onions, square cakes, pineapple stir-fried chicken gizzards, and braised fish. Over time, traditional dishes have been replaced by modern cuisine.
The Lunar New Year offering tray varies in each region due to cultural and geographical differences. For example, in the Northern region, essential dishes include square cakes, sausage, and fried spring rolls. The Central region features various items such as cylindrical glutinous rice cake, boiled pork, and chicken with Vietnamese mint, while the Southern region includes braised pork, cylindrical glutinous rice cake, bamboo shoot soup, etc.
A Lunar New Year offering tray typically includes a tray of five fruits, incense, red and gold paper, betel leaves and areca nuts, tea, wine, square cakes, and food trays. It's common to place the offering tray below the main altar, while the main altar is adorned with fresh flowers, the tray of five fruits, and imitation gold.
Above are the most detailed and comprehensive ways to prepare the Lunar New Year offering tray that families can refer to and apply. Don't forget to follow Media Mart to quickly update the most useful information.
