Top 5 Finest Expository Essays on Tet Holiday Foods

1. Expository Essay on Tet Holiday Food: Braised Pork Belly

After a year of hard work, Tet is a rare and precious time for us to return to our families, gather together, and enjoy the most peaceful moments. This occasion is highly valued by everyone because of the ancient belief that 'a good start means a good year,' suggesting that a smooth beginning to the new year leads to success and luck throughout. Due to this belief, the dishes on the first day of the new year are always meticulously prepared by families with the hope that the beginning of the year will be prosperous and abundant. One dish that is indispensable in the Tet feast of Vietnamese families is braised pork belly.

Braised pork belly originates from China and was traditionally prepared by Southern families for its practicality in preserving pork for several days. Later on, braised pork belly became popular among all Vietnamese people and became an indispensable part of the Tet feast.

The ingredients for making braised pork belly are simple and familiar to everyone: pork belly, duck eggs or quail eggs, coconut water, along with various spices for seasoning the dish. Choosing the right ingredients is crucial for a delicious braised pork belly. The pork used for braising is usually pork belly with a ratio of three parts fat to seven parts lean meat, as this ensures that the pork is tender and moist, not dry. The eggs selected for making braised pork for Tet must be perfectly round, intact, and uncracked, as this symbolizes a smooth start to the new year, encountering many blessings.

Once all the ingredients are ready, we will proceed to cook this dish. First, the pork belly is thoroughly cleaned, cut into square pieces of about four to five centimeters, then marinated with spices such as seasoning powder, fish sauce, pepper... and left for about thirty minutes for the spices to absorb evenly. While waiting for the pork to marinate, we will boil the eggs until cooked and peel them, then fry them until golden brown with oil. After that, we will sauté the onions and garlic until fragrant, then add the marinated pork to stir-fry until firm, then add the caramelized water, coconut water, and re-season the spices to taste and simmer over low heat. Once the broth boils, let it simmer for a while before adding the eggs. Depending on each family's taste, the pork will be cooked until tender or just done. When the braised pork belly is finished, the pieces of meat will be moist, have a beautiful golden color, and the aroma of the spices blending together will be very attractive.

Braised pork belly is now more popular in daily life, and we don't have to wait until Tet to enjoy this dish. However, braised pork belly still retains its distinctive feature as a familiar dish in the Tet feast.

2. Expository Essay on Tet Holiday Food: Fried Spring Rolls

Vietnam is known for its rich culinary culture. We can list the specialties of the nation such as banh chung, banh com, pho, bun bo,... and especially the fried spring rolls. This dish is both noble and simple, leaving a lasting flavor in each of us. Fried spring rolls originate from China, belonging to the Dimsum group of dishes. This dish followed the Chinese immigrants to our country and was transformed into a dish suitable for the Vietnamese palate. And fried spring rolls are very popular on Tet holiday.

In Vietnam, depending on the region, this dish has different names. Fried spring rolls are called nem ran by people in the North, cha cuon by people in the Central, and cha gio by people in the South. The ingredients for making fried spring rolls are quite diverse but easy to find. To make the dish full of nutritional components, we need to prepare minced meat, chicken or duck eggs, onions, scallions, carrots, jicama, bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, wood ear mushrooms, noodles or vermicelli,... and some spices such as seasoning powder, broth powder, pepper, fish sauce,...

These spices will make the dish more flavorful and appealing. One essential item is the nem wrappers. Nem wrappers are made from rice and when choosing, we need to select soft, pliable leaves to prevent them from breaking when rolling. To achieve the perfect aroma of fried spring rolls, first we need to prepare the ingredients. We soak the mushrooms and wood ear mushrooms until they expand, then wash them thoroughly and finely chop them. At the same time, peel and wash the vegetables and slice or julienne them. Soak the noodles or vermicelli in warm water for about five minutes, then cut them into short pieces. Then, put all the ingredients in a large bowl, beat the eggs, add spices and mix well. The number of eggs used to make the filling should not be too much because it will make the filling wet and difficult to roll, nor too little because the filling will be dry. Therefore, when beating the eggs, we should beat each one separately to estimate the appropriate amount of eggs. The orange color of the carrot strands, the white color of the noodles, the green color of the vegetables, the yellow color of the eggs,... all blend together harmoniously. We marinate the filling for about 5 to 10 minutes for the spices to be absorbed evenly. Next, we spread the nem wrappers on a flat surface and place the filling in the center. Nem wrappers come in round, square, or rectangular shapes, depending on personal preference. If you want the nem wrappers to be soft and crispy, before rolling the spring rolls, you should lightly brush them with a mixture of vinegar diluted with sugar and water. We should fold the edges of the nem wrappers to prevent the filling from spilling out. Then, heat the cooking oil until hot and fry the spring rolls. When frying, keep the heat low and flip the rolls back and forth to ensure they are evenly golden brown, then remove them and drain on paper towels to absorb excess oil, avoiding a greasy feeling when enjoying.

The dipping sauce is the soul of fried spring rolls, it is indispensable to make the spring rolls flavorful. To make delicious dipping sauce, we need to prepare some sugar, garlic, vinegar, chili, lime, and fish sauce. First, dissolve the sugar in warm water then add chopped garlic and chili. Then slowly pour in the vinegar and fish sauce and stir well for the spices to dissolve evenly. We can replace vinegar with lime or kumquat. Depending on personal taste, the dipping sauce can have different levels of sweetness and saltiness. Finally, arrange the spring rolls on a plate, garnish with raw vegetables, tomatoes or sliced cucumbers to make the plate of spring rolls look attractive. Tomato roses, cucumber flowers made from cucumber will make the dish very appealing. Fried spring rolls dipped in garlic chili sauce will bring a very interesting sensation. Golden crispy nem wrappers along with fragrant and flavorful filling, spicy chili, sour vinegar, sweet sugar will make those who enjoy it never forget this special flavor.

Fried spring rolls have become a popular dish throughout Vietnam. It not only appears in daily meals but also on the ancestral altar during Tet holiday. This is a dish of great significance and nobility. In this cold weather, there is nothing better than enjoying hot fried spring rolls. The combination of ingredients that make up the filling of the spring rolls symbolizes unity, love, and mutual care of the Vietnamese people.

Fried spring rolls are not only a nutritious dish but also a dish that contributes to the creation of Vietnamese cuisine with its own unique characteristics and uniqueness. This dish is easy to make but requires dedication and skill, so the cook needs to be highly focused. This is also one of the dishes that attract international visitors when visiting Vietnam. It can be said that fried spring rolls in particular and Vietnamese cuisine in general are increasingly asserting their value in the world.

Chung Cake is an indispensable symbol during the traditional Tet holiday. From ancient times to the present, every Tet holiday, every family gathers around large pots of Chung Cakes to welcome Tet. In the consciousness of everyone, Chung Cake is a dish that symbolizes unity, simple but warm familial values.

People have long believed that Chung Cake on Tet days has been around for a very long time. People still believe that Chung Cake and Giay Cake have existed since the 6th Hung King dynasty, and to this day, it has become a symbol of traditional Tet in Vietnam. People have always believed that Chung Cake proves the completeness of heaven and earth and the warmth of family after a busy year of work.

Whether in the North, Central, or South, Chung Cake is an indispensable dish on Tet days. It can be said that this is the most anticipated dish because Tet is only complete when enjoying delicious and warm Chung Cake.

As for the ingredients, Chung Cake is made from very simple and easy-to-prepare ingredients; combined with the skillful hands of the cake wrappers. The main ingredients are glutinous rice, dong leaves, meat, and crushed green beans. Each ingredient is carefully selected to create the most delicious and flavorful dish. For the glutinous rice, people choose round grains, not moldy, so that when cooked, they emit a fragrant aroma. Green beans are selected for their beautiful yellow color, boiled and mashed to make the filling. People will choose pork belly or lean meat, mixed with ground pepper and finely chopped onions. Another equally important ingredient is dong leaves for wrapping the cake. In some regions, people use banana leaves to wrap the cake, but the most common is still dong leaves.

Dong leaves should be dark green, with firm veins, not withered or torn. If some leaves are torn, people can use fresh leaves to line the inside of the torn leaves for wrapping. Washing dong leaves, cutting off the stems is also very important because fresh dong leaves ensure hygiene as well as create a fragrant aroma after cooking the cake...

After all the ingredients have been prepared, it's time to wrap the cake. Wrapping Chung Cake requires meticulousness, precision, and skill to create a square, firm cake to offer to ancestors. Many people need a square mold to wrap, but many people don't need it, just fold the 4 corners of the dong leaf together to wrap. Wrapping around the bean and meat filling is a thick layer of glutinous rice. Prepare strings for wrapping, keep the filling tight, and not loose during the cooking process.

The cooking stage is considered important. Usually, people cook cakes with dry wood, cook in a large pot, fill with water and cook for about 8-12 hours. The long cooking time is to ensure that the cake is evenly cooked and chewy. When the cake water boils, the smell of Chung Cake fills the air. At that time, people begin to feel the Tet atmosphere enveloping the house.

After the cake is cooked, it is brought out and rolled back and forth to create firmness for the cake when cut into pieces and can be preserved longer.

For the Tet feast, a plate of Chung Cake is a wonderful addition. Also, on the Tet altar, a pair of Chung Cakes to offer to ancestors is a tradition passed down through generations. Chung Cake symbolizes the completeness of heaven and earth, the most fortunate and warmest things of human hearts.

On Tet days, there are many gifts made with Chung Cake, and this is a meaningful gift symbolizing sincerity, for the most complete blessing. Every Tet holiday, the fragrance of Chung Cake heralds the warmth of family. Chung Cake is the Tet symbol that no other cake can replace. Because this is tradition, the beauty of Vietnamese people, it needs to be preserved and respected from the past, today, and in the future.

The Tet feast of Northern Vietnamese people cannot lack Bamboo Shoot and Glass Noodle Soup cooked with pork trotters. A simple dish that encapsulates the national spirit, the soul of Vietnamese cuisine, it evokes warmth in the early days of spring.

After toiling throughout the year, everyone wishes to welcome a meaningful new year. Even in culinary culture, it's the same. The significance here is not in the high table filled with dishes but in the warmth, harmony, and the good luck that will come in the early days of the year. In traditional Tet, no one asks what dishes to eat because everyone knows that the Tet feast cannot be without green Chung Cakes, wrapped pork, jellied meat, pickled onions, and Bamboo Shoot and Glass Noodle Soup.

With the development of social life, everyone has more choices for their meals, but somehow, the traditional dishes mentioned above bring a warm spring atmosphere. Bamboo Shoot and Glass Noodle Soup are perhaps quite typical because of the warmth, the harmony of flavors, bringing satisfaction and contentment to those who taste it.

The ingredients for making Bamboo Shoot and Glass Noodle Soup on Tet days are very simple, familiar in daily life. The preparation method is not too difficult, not too complicated, but the special thing is also there. It is the simplicity, the intimacy of the dish that has made it so familiar that it is never forgotten. The dish carries the national spirit, the soul of Vietnamese cuisine. Looking at a bowl of Bamboo Shoot and Glass Noodle Soup, smoking on the ancestral altar, we see the thousand-year-old sacredness.

With the nature of a vegetable, bamboo shoots can be eaten fresh, pickled, or dried for year-round use. Dried bamboo shoots are used to make stews, braises, and stir-fries. The best dried bamboo shoots are bamboo shoot tips, meaning taking the new shoots and splitting them open to dry. This type of bamboo shoot is dense, firm, and fiber-free. Soaked dried bamboo shoots until soft enough to slice to match a bite. Then the bamboo shoots are stir-fried to absorb the seasoning before being added to the pork trotter broth. The slices of bamboo shoots look rough and tough on the outside, but after soaking for enough time, they become surprisingly soft. The golden brown bamboo shoots alongside the white, tender glass noodles, the fragrant, rustic flavor of the countryside gives us a very familiar feeling.

The pork trotters are stewed with pork bones to make the broth. The skill of the cook is shown in how to stew it so that the broth is sweet enough, fatty enough, but the pork trotters are not too tough, making the broth too greasy and losing the aesthetic value of the dish. Nor can we overlook the sliced wood ear mushrooms, finely chopped onions. These two ingredients are like the finishing touches to the Bamboo Shoot and Glass Noodle Soup picture, a picture with contrast but not opposition, but blending together. When the bowl of Bamboo Shoot and Glass Noodle Soup is complete, the diner will no longer feel overwhelmed by the greasy richness of the pork trotters because the dried bamboo shoots balance it out. Taking another sip of soup, we feel the pungency of dried bamboo shoots, wood ear mushrooms, the sweetness of the pork bone broth. Above all, we can feel the richness of the mixture being evenly distributed in the taste buds.

Each year has a Tet, a moment of family reunion, so Vietnamese people are more elaborate in their Tet feast, replacing the simple meals of ordinary days. The appearance of a bowl of Bamboo Shoot and Glass Noodle Soup seems to restore balance to the Tet feast. Those who have tasted this dish on Tet, when they have the opportunity to taste it again, even if it's not the spring days, still feel excited as if they are in the warm atmosphere of those cozy Tet days.

Tet is a traditional festival of the nation, also a time for families to gather, enjoy each other's company, and indulge in warm meals. The Tet meals are often prepared in various ways by the hands of grandparents, mothers, ... When mentioning Tet dishes, people often think of chung cake, boiled chicken, sweet desserts,... and a very familiar, easy-to-make dish that is Vietnamese pork sausage.

Vietnamese pork sausage is a dish that has existed for a long time. In the 18th century, it was a delicacy reserved only for kings on major holidays. Later, Vietnamese pork sausage became both rustic and elegant, served to guests. With the differences in preparation methods in each region, Vietnamese pork sausage in each region has its own characteristics, contributing to enriching Vietnamese cuisine, but generally, it is made from finely ground pork mixed with spices and wrapped in layers of banana leaves, then boiled until cooked.

To make 1kg of Vietnamese pork sausage, you need to prepare 1kg of pork, starch, baking powder, and spices including sugar, fish sauce, and salt. In addition, essential tools for making this dish are banana leaves and string or nylon thread. After washing the pork, it should be thinly sliced, marinated with spices, and then placed in the refrigerator for about two hours, ground the pork with a little water after two more hours in the refrigerator. After over four hours, we take out the meat to grind with a little water to have a raw sausage mixture.

The next step requires experienced people, that is, steaming the sausage. Banana leaves must be washed clean, put the string at the bottom, place the sausage evenly and wrap it back. When wrapping the sausage, it should be rolled into long cylindrical shapes and both ends rolled back, tied with string. Note when wrapping the sausage not to wrap too tightly because the sausage will expand during cooking. After wrapping, the sausage should be steamed for about 20 minutes (depending on the pot we use for steaming) and then taken out to drain water.

Vietnamese pork sausage is not only delicious, convenient, but also easy to preserve for a long time. Therefore, many families choose this dish for storage during Tet. Vietnamese pork sausage can be eaten directly with white rice, or can be varied in many ways. Some easy-to-make dishes include: braised pork sausage with quail eggs, Vietnamese pork sausage salad, stir-fried Vietnamese pork sausage with glass noodles, braised Vietnamese pork sausage in sauce,...

If you don't have time to make sausage at home, you can buy it ready-made at eateries based on some inherited experiences. When buying sausage, the cut surface must be moist and slightly porous because it is made from good meat, finely ground meat with a chewy texture. When eating sausage, we can feel the aroma of the meat, not too dry or too crispy because if it's too crispy, it's easy to stick to the palate. After eating, the flavor of the sausage lingers in the throat.

Vietnamese pork sausage has been described in literature. Writer Nguyen Tuan in the essay 'Vietnamese Pork Sausage' published in 1973 had very good sentences about this dish: 'Not afraid to be overly humble, we can say that knowing how to turn pork into sausage is a global folk culture... It seems that Vietnamese pork sausage is a unique performance that only we have, only Vietnamese people can think of and create'. It's not just the most common dish but also the typical delicious dish, a cultural feature in Vietnamese cuisine.