Top 13 Essential Tet Dishes in Central Vietnam

In contrast to Northern Vietnam's square glutinous rice cake, sticky rice cylindrical cake is an indispensable dish for people in Central and Southern Vietnam. This simple cake is made from glutinous rice filled with green beans, wrapped in banana leaves instead of dong leaves, forming a cylindrical shape, but still carries the rustic essence. Whether it's the Tet offering tray or the daily meal during Tet, this cake cannot be missed. It can be thinly sliced and eaten as is or fried golden brown, depending on the preference and taste of each family.

Ingredients:

• Glutinous rice 1 kg
• Green beans 250 gr
• Shallots 2 bulbs
• Salted duck eggs 5 eggs
• Pork fat 300 gr
• Water spinach 1 bundle

Instructions:

• Step 1: Soak and cook green beans. Soak the green beans for about 4 hours. Then, scoop out the green beans and put them in a pot, cover with water and cook over low heat. When the beans are cooked, turn off the heat, add a spoonful of salt and a spoonful of sugar, and mix well.
• Step 2: Cut and marinate pork. Cut the pork into evenly sized pieces. Typically, people use pork fat to make sticky rice cakes, but if you don't like it, you can use lean meat instead. Then, marinate the meat with spices as follows: half a teaspoon of seasoning powder, half a teaspoon of pepper, and finely chopped shallots. Wait for 30 minutes for the meat to absorb the spices.
• Step 3: Make the cake filling. Spread out aluminum foil, then spread the green beans on top and press them down. Next, spread the piece of meat on top of the green beans. Cut the salted duck eggs into 4 parts and place one part on top of the rice. Then, roll up the green bean layer and put it in the refrigerator to freeze.
• Step 4: Mix green color for glutinous rice. Use a blender to blend the water spinach and then strain to get the juice. You soak the glutinous rice in water overnight. Then, scoop out the rice, wait for 10 minutes for the rice to dry, then pour the spinach water into it. Add a spoonful of salt and mix the mixture evenly. Note that you should only mix the rice mixture gently to avoid breaking the rice. Then, divide the mixed rice portion into the corresponding number of portions for the green bean filling.
• Step 5: Wrap the cake. Spread the silver paper out and then place banana leaves on top. The purpose of using silver paper when cooking sticky rice cakes is to prevent water from seeping into the cake. This way, the cake will be firm, delicious, and last longer. Silver paper also helps retain heat for the cake to cook quickly. Next, spread a layer of glutinous rice on top of the banana leaves, spread evenly, and then add the green bean filling. Cover with another layer of rice on top of the green bean filling and then roll up the banana leaves. Tie with a flat string horizontally, in the middle of the cake. Then, gently fold the corner of the cake and stand it up, pour another portion of rice to make the cake evenly. Similarly, you do the same with the other end of the cake and use banana leaves to cover both ends of the cake. After tying the cake, roll it lightly so that the rice inside is evenly distributed.
• Step 6: Boil the cake. Put the cake rolls into a large pot of boiling water with a few banana leaves at the bottom of the pot. Cook the cake with medium heat for about 3.5 - 4 hours. After cooking for half the time, turn the cake over to cook evenly. You also need to pay attention to constantly check the water level, do not let the pot run out of water.

Family Cake is a traditional cake of the people in Central Vietnam on the ancestral altar during Tet, also a cake used as a gift for distant children after Tet. The main ingredients for making this cake include glutinous rice and sugar. In addition, there is ginger and sesame sprinkled on the cake to increase the rich flavor and beauty. If you are not from Central Vietnam, enjoy the family cake if you have the opportunity.

Ingredients:

• 250 g glutinous rice flour
• 150 g sugar
• 300 ml water
• 20 g sesame seeds
• 1 large ginger
• A few banana leaves, cake mold
• Vegetable oil

Instructions:

• Step 1: Stack 2 layers of banana leaves on top of each other and use toothpicks to pin the ends together to form a boat shape or as desired.
• Step 2: Prepare a small pot, add about 3 liters of filtered water along with ginger slices and bring to a boil. Then, add 300 grams of finely chopped brown sugar and cook together.
• Step 3: While cooking, stir to dissolve all the sugar. Then, boil for about 1 - 2 minutes, then turn off the heat and let it cool.
• Step 4: Slowly add 500 grams of glutinous rice flour. While adding, stir to prevent the flour from clumping.
• Step 5: Stir until the mixture becomes thick and elastic, when scooping the flour with a spoon, the mixture will flow into a thick stream.
• Step 6: Apply a thin layer of vegetable oil to the banana leaf mold. Then, pour a portion of the flour mixture from step 5 into the mold. Continue until all the flour and banana leaves are used up.
• Step 7: Prepare a large steamer and neatly arrange the family cakes inside to steam until cooked. After about 1 hour, remove the cakes and sprinkle with some roasted sesame seeds, let cool and enjoy.

Marinated pork in fish sauce is an indispensable dish on Tet in any family in the Central region. The way to make it is quite simple and convenient as it can be made once and used many times. Boiled pork, marinated fish sauce. When the meat is cold, arrange it in a glass jar and pour the fish sauce over it, completely submerging the meat. After about 3 days, you will have a dish of marinated pork in fish sauce that cannot be refused for Tet. When eating, it can be enjoyed with boiled vegetables or raw vegetables and fruits.

Ingredients:

• Pork belly: 1 kg
• Good fish sauce: 450ml
• White sugar: 450 grams
• Vinegar: 2 tablespoons
• Peppercorns, garlic, fresh chili

Instructions:

• Step 1: After buying pork belly, rinse it thoroughly. Then, wrap it tightly with string so that after boiling, the meat will be firm and not loose.
• Step 2: Bring a pot of boiling water, prepare a clean basin, then put the pork belly in and pour water over it to blanch it quickly.
• Step 3: Put the pork in a small pot, pour enough water and add a little salt to make the meat flavorful. Then, bring to a boil until cooked.
• Step 4: Prepare a bowl of ice water, after the pork belly is cooked, put it in to soak for about 15 - 20 minutes, then remove.
• Step 5: Put the pork in another small bowl and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap. Then, put the bowl of meat in the refrigerator for a few hours to dry and firm up, making it quick to absorb the fish sauce.
• Step 6: Put 450ml of fish sauce, 450 grams of sugar, and 2 tablespoons of vinegar into a pot together. Then, place on the stove and simmer over medium heat.
• Step 7: While cooking, use a spoon to stir until the sugar is completely dissolved, forming a syrupy mixture, then turn off the heat.
• Step 8: Peel the garlic, then thinly slice. Crush the peppercorns. Wash the fresh chili. Then, put everything into the mixture of fish sauce in step 7.
• Step 9: Take the boiled meat out of the refrigerator and use a knife to remove all the fat. Then, arrange it in a clean glass jar. Use a chopstick to press the meat down firmly to the bottom of the jar.
• Step 10: When the mixture in step 7 has cooled completely, pour it into the glass jar containing the meat and then tightly seal the lid and store in a dry place. After about 2 - 3 days, you can use it.

Rounded cake is a characteristic dish that cannot be missed on the Tet meal. Nowadays, many families no longer adhere to the tradition of making rounded cakes on Tet. However, it is still a popular dish among many people in the Central region. Rounded cakes are made from flour (ordinary flour, tapioca flour...) mixed with eggs, baked on charcoal in a small round mold. When cooked, the cakes have an extremely attractive aroma that appeals to the taste buds. The cakes are presented on a plate and are the main dish in the Tet meal of the Central region.

Ingredients:

• Tapioca flour: 150 grams
• Cornstarch: 150 grams
• Duck eggs: 4
• Granulated sugar: 50 grams
• Vanilla: 1 tablespoon
• Baking powder: 1 tablespoon

Instructions:

• Step 1: Prepare the flour. Beat all 10 eggs in a large bowl until fluffy. When the eggs are fluffy, add all the sugar and stir to dissolve. Once the sugar and eggs are dissolved, gradually add, little by little, the tapioca flour + cornstarch that have been finely sifted and mix well. Stir the flour mixture well to ensure that it is not lumpy. Stir until the cake batter is smooth and thick. If the batter is too thick, you can add more eggs. Do not add water to avoid losing the flavor of the cake. In the final step, add the vanilla extract and mix well. Mix the rounded cake batter - how to make rounded cakes with ordinary flour
• Step 2: Bake the cakes. Heat the mold: Prepare a hot charcoal stove and place the cake mold on top. Cover the mold and spread charcoal over the top for about 2 minutes to evenly heat the mold. Once done, lift the lid and start making the cakes. Use a food brush or a small piece of cloth tied to the tip of a chopstick to grease with oil. Grease the cake mold evenly to prevent the cakes from sticking during baking. Pour the batter into the mold and bake the cakes - rounded cake mold. Baking the cakes: Use a spoon to scoop the batter into the prepared cake molds with the amount of batter equal to ¾ of the height of the mold. Cover the cake mold and add more red charcoal if necessary. Bake the cakes for 4 - 5 minutes. To check if the cakes are cooked, gently insert a toothpick into the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, it means the cakes are cooked. At this point, you can remove the cakes and prepare another batch.
• Step 3: Enjoying and storing the cakes. Once the cakes are cooked, you can enjoy them right away. However, if you want to preserve them for a long time and enjoy them during Tet, follow these steps: Spread the cakes evenly on a tray or basket. Use tongs to hold the cakes over a small flame or warm ashes until the cake crust is dry and crispy. Keep the cakes in clean nylon bags, dry, or plastic containers.

Since ancient times, fermented pork roll has been considered a rustic and familiar dish on Tet days. It has a slightly sour, spicy, sweet, and fragrant taste of guava leaves. Nowadays, fermented pork roll is present throughout the country, not just in the Central region. The main ingredients in making fermented pork roll are easy-to-find ingredients such as pork skin, garlic, chili, pepper, guava leaves, banana leaves, lard strings, and fermented pork roll is a dish with a characteristic flavor of the homeland.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg pork (choose the buttock part)
• 200g pork skin
• 100g roasted rice flour
• 2 bulbs of garlic thinly sliced for accompanying the fermented pork roll, the amount of garlic depends on each person's taste
• Chili (optional according to individual preferences)
• Guava leaves should choose thick and green guava leaves for wrapping the fermented pork roll, because during transportation or storage, the fermented pork roll will continue to ferment until it is ready to eat.
• Spices include: sugar, salt, pepper, fish sauce, cornstarch (to create a crunchy texture and adhesion for the fermented pork roll)
• Clove or guava leaves
• Wax paper used to wrap the body of the fermented pork roll if you want to preserve it for a long time
• Elastic bands (used to tie the fermented pork roll after wrapping).

Instructions:

• Step 1: Grind the pork until smooth, it is best to use freshly slaughtered meat, still warm, because the longer the meat is left, the less delicious the fermented pork roll will be, the gloss and adhesion for the fermented pork roll during the fermentation process will also decrease.
• Step 2: Clean the pork skin, blanch it in boiling water, then scrape off all the hair on the outside. Note: You should shave off the hair when the meat is cooked so that the new hair is clean and removes the odor of the pork skin. To have the desired pork skin threads, as delicious as you want, you need to shave all the remaining fat on the skin until you see the clear white layer, with a thin enough thickness. The cleaner the skin, the crispier and tougher the threads will be. After cleaning, pork skin will be sliced into very thin threads.
• Step 3: Mix the meat and pork skin mixture: put the meat and pork skin in a large bowl, add a little salt, sugar, MSG, fish sauce, garlic, chili, pepper, roasted rice flour, and cornstarch and mix well. Note, you should add the right amount of spices, not too much to avoid making the fermented pork roll too strong in flavor.
• Step 4: After the mixture has been evenly mixed with the spices, divide it into small pieces about 7 cm long and as large as the thumb to be wrapped, and can also make a larger roll like sausage depending on preference.
• Step 5: How to wrap fermented pork roll: Use cloves or guava leaves to wrap the outside, then take banana leaves to wrap 6-7 layers and use elastic bands to tie them. After completion, you put the rolls in a cool place for 2-3 days, when the rolls are ripe, you can take them out to eat.

The harmonious color, deep brownish-yellow hue of Pineapple Beef Stew also speaks volumes about the affection of the people in the Central region. This can be said to be a perfect dish. The pineapple beef stew is very famous for its fragrant, spicy taste of ginger, lemongrass, cinnamon, chili, and the crispy, natural sweetness of beef combined with the rich, gentle aroma of pineapple. As a person from the Central region, you cannot forget this dish on Tet menu.

Ingredients:

• Good quality beef: 1.5kg
• Lemongrass: 7 stalks
• Ginger: 1 root
• Cinnamon: 1 piece
• Good fish sauce
• Pineapple
• Other spices: Cooking oil, salt, seasoning powder, ground pepper, MSG, chili powder

Instructions:

• Step 1: First, mix cinnamon, ginger, lemongrass, chili powder in a bowl, then add 3 tablespoons of good fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of ground pepper, 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder, and 5 tablespoons of pineapple juice, then use a spoon to mix well.
• Step 2: Then, slowly pour the mixture onto the beef bowl, use your hands to rub the spices all over the meat so that the meat can absorb. Use food wrap to wrap and put in the refrigerator, marinate overnight or at least 3 hours.
• Step 3: You heat a pot or pan on the stove, add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil, then place each piece of beef in the pan, flip evenly on both sides to sear the meat, then pour the sauce mixture into the pan, cover and cook over low heat for about 8-10 minutes. Then turn off the heat, wait for the meat to cool, then turn on the heat and cook until the meat is soft and the sauce is reduced.
• Step 4: Wait for the meat to cool down a bit, then cut into thin slices, arrange on a plate and enjoy with hot rice. Pineapple beef stew is completed with beautiful color and attractive flavor from various spices, especially pineapple that enhances the delicious taste of beef, it's a great dish to treat guests!

Cuối cùng món ăn không thể thiếu trong ngày Tết cổ truyền của người dân miền Trung đó là món tôm chua. Đây là món ăn nổi tiếng của xứ Huế, với vị chua ngọt đặc trưng và mùi thơm ngọt của tôm. Tôm chua được làm bởi nguyên liệu chính là tôm và các gia vị khác như ớt, cà chua, hồ tiêu, tỏi, mắm... Món tôm chưa dùng trong ngày Tết sẽ chống ngán rất tốt, dễ tiêu hoá hơn rất nhiều. Khi ăn, nên ăn cùng rau, củ luộc hoặc rau, củ sống bạn nhé.

Nguyên liệu:

• 1kg tôm đất
• 1 củ riềng
• 2 củ tỏi
• 2 trái ớt
• 1 nắm lá ổi
• Gia vị: Nước mắm nguyên chất, rượu trắng 40 độ, đường.

Cách làm:

• Tôm đất lực tôm tươi, còn sống, về cắt đầu, rửa sạch, để ráo, sau đó cho vào rượu trắng 40 độ, ngân trong 3-4 giờ, vớt ra để ráo bớt nước (không rửa lại sau khi ngân rượu).
• Riềng gọt vỏ thái sợi, ớt thái nhỏ, tỏi thái lát mỏng.
• Lá ổi rửa sạch, để ráo.
• Hũ thủy tinh rửa sạch, phơi nắng, lau sạch
• Nấu nước mắm nguyên chất và đường theo tỉ lệ 1:1 cho tan đường thì tắt bếp, để nguội.
• Trộn tôm, riềng, tỏi, ớt sau đó xếp vào hũ thủy tinh, đổ hỗn hợp mắm vào. Xếp lá ổi lên mặt, dùng tre chẻ nhỏ hay vỉ nén chặt lại để tôm ngập trong nắp. Đậy kín nắp.
• Đem phơi nắng 5-7 ngày thì tôm chuyển sang màu đỏ, lúc tôm chín (nến không có nắng, để hũ tôm gần bếp từ 10-15 ngày).
• Khi tôm chín, chuẩn bị đu đủ mỏ vịt bào sợi, ngâm với muối cho ra nước, rửa sạch, vắt ráo rồi phơi cho hơi héo. Sau đó cho đu đủ vào hũ tôm, trộn đều, có thể thêm 1 ít đường nếu thích ăn ngọt (để thêm 1 - 2 ngày cho đu đủ thấm là ăn được).

When it comes to beef sausage, one must mention the famous one from Da Nang, renowned throughout the country. This is an indispensable dish for the Tet holiday. The fragrant aroma of beef, the spicy scent of pepper, the sausage with its pinkish-red color, slightly sweet yet rich flavor, crunchy and chewy texture. Beef sausage is made similarly to pork sausage, a specialty of the northern region, but using beef instead of pork. The beef sausage of the central region is often made into round cylindrical shapes, which are easy and pleasing to cut and present on a plate.

Ingredients:

• 1 kg beef
• 200 g pork fat
• 1 tablespoon annatto seeds
• 1 garlic bulb
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 90 g crushed ice

Instructions:

• Step 1: Wash the beef thoroughly, removing all the tough parts. Grind it finely and place it in a bowl.
• Step 2: Add the seasonings including 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon minced garlic, and 1 tablespoon ground pepper to the bowl of beef and mix well so that the beef absorbs all the seasonings evenly. If you want the beef to be more chewy and delicious, avoid adding any other additives.
• Step 3: Wash the banana leaves, boil them until soft and not brittle when wrapped. Boil for about 45 - 60 minutes, then remove and drain slightly.
• Step 4: Then, place the cooled beef sausage in. When enjoying, you can dip it in dipping sauce or salt and pepper as you like. Additionally, serve with pickles, bread, etc., to make the dish more appealing.

Green bean sweet soup is almost universally known, yet if you visit the central region during Tet, you should try the legendary chè kê, which at first glance you might think is 100% green beans. Chè kê is cooked with a combination of ke seeds, a little green beans, sugar, ginger, they are not as smooth as green bean sweet soup, but the plus point is that they are not as sweet as other sweet soup dishes, especially when you eat, you will feel the crunchy texture of ke seeds.

Ingredients:

• 100g ke seeds
• 100g green beans
• 120g rock sugar
• 600 ml water
• 20g pandan leaves

Instructions:

• Step 1: Soak the green beans and ke seeds. Put green beans and ke seeds into separate bowls and soak for about 2 hours. After soaking, remove, rinse with water, and drain.
• Step 2: Cook the green beans until soft. Place a pot on the stove, add 400 ml of water, add 20 grams of pandan leaves and cook for 5 minutes on the stove. Remove the pandan leaves and add the green beans, cover the pot and cook until the green beans are soft, then open the lid of the pot and stir the green beans until they are smooth again.
• Step 3: Cook the ke seeds until soft. Place another pot on the stove, add 600 ml of water, add the soaked ke seeds and cook. Stir constantly until the ke seeds are soft, swollen, and the water thickens.
• Step 4: Cook the ingredients together. When the ke seeds are soft, add the cooked green beans to the pot and cook together. Stir the mixture evenly and add 120 grams of rock sugar, cook until the sugar dissolves and the sweet soup boils again, then turn off the heat, ladle the sweet soup into bowls, and enjoy.
• Step 5: Finished product. Chè kê, when finished, will have a sweet taste, a smooth texture of green beans, and deliciously chewy ke seeds. This sweet soup will be even better when enjoyed with ke crackers.

Không chỉ là đặc sản của đất võ Bình Định mà bánh lá gai giờ đã trở thành món ngày Tết không thể thiếu của người dân miền Trung. Những ngày này chỉ cần ghé vài phiên chợ quê, bạn sẽ thấy bánh lá gai được bày bán khắp nơi, rẻ đến mức bạn mua trăm cái để làm quà cũng chẳng tốn là bao. Bánh lá gai được làm từ lá gai - loại lá đặc trưng ở miền Trung, sau khi để héo vài ngày, đem rửa sạch, luộc chín, để ráo rồi mang đi giã nhuyễn. Bánh thơm vị lá gai, dẻo mịn của nếp mới, hòa lẫn vị ngọt của đường đen và đỗ xanh, thêm ít dừa dai ngon sần sật...

Nguyên liệu:

• Lá gai 300 gr
• Lá chuối 6 miếng
• Gừng 80 gr
• Bột nếp 250 gr
• Đậu xanh 150 gr
• Dừa nạo 150 gr
• Đường cát 210 gr
• Dầu ăn 100 ml

Cách làm:

• Cách làm vỏ bánh:
  • Bước 1: Bạn xé lá gai thành 2, bỏ sống và xơ lá. Sau đó, đem rửa sạch rồi luộc cho đến khi mềm thì vớt ra, để ráo nước.
  • Bước 2: Đem nghiền lá gai bằng máy hoặc cối đến khi nhuyễn mịn và thu được thứ bột màu xanh đen.
  • Bước 3: Trộn đều bột sắn và bột nếp với bột lá gai vừa mới được xay ở trên lại với nhau.
  • Bước 4: Cho 150 gram đường vào một nồi nhỏ cùng 4 lít nước rồi bắc lên bếp đun. Vừa đun vừa khuấy đều cho đến khi đường tan hết thì dừng.
  • Bước 5: Đổ nước đường ở bước 4 vào hỗn hợp bột ở bước 3 rồi nhào mạnh tay cho đến khi thu được khối bột mịn dẻo.
  • Bước 6: Rang mè nguyên vỏ cho đến khi vàng đều.
• Cách làm nhân bánh
  • Bước 1: Đem đậu xanh ngâm trong nước nóng khoảng 2 tiếng đồng hồ. Sau đó, đem hấp chín rồi giã thật nhuyễn mịn.
  • Bước 2: Mỡ gáy heo, bạn mang luộc chín rồi thái thành hạt lựu. Sau đó, đem ướp với 2 thìa cà phê đường cát.
  • Bước 3: Đến khi đường tan hết, bạn vớt mỡ ra rồi cho vào một bát riêng, đổ đi phần nước đường còn lại.
  • Bước 4: Dừa khô, bạn nhúng qua nước sôi rồi vớt ra rổ để ráo nước. Sau đó, đem trộn với đậu xanh cùng mỡ gáy heo và một chút tinh dầu hoa bưởi rồi trộn đều lên.