Top 6 Exceptional Traditional Dishes in the Tet Feast of the Mông Ethnic Group

Glutinous Rice Cake is an indispensable traditional delicacy in the festive occasions of the Mông ethnic people in the northern mountainous region. Known as 'Pé-Plẩu' in Mông language, this cake symbolizes not only the love and unwavering loyalty between Mông men and women but also represents the moon and the sun, the origin of humanity and all living things on Earth, according to ancient beliefs.

To prepare a delicious glutinous rice cake, one must have a ready-made cake grinding mortar, traditionally made from sturdy wood. Additionally, it's crucial to choose fragrant and sticky glutinous rice, soak it for a day, and then cook it over low and even heat for about an hour until the rice is thoroughly cooked, soft, and sticky. After cooking, transfer the rice to the grinding mortar while it's still hot. The more thorough the grinding, the softer and more delicious the cake, ensuring a longer shelf life. Glutinous Rice Cake isn't just for ancestral worship during festivals; it's also served to guests and offered as gifts. When consumed, it's often grilled over glowing charcoal or cut into small rectangular pieces and pan-fried until it puffs up, releasing a delightful aroma and appeal.

During the Tet feast of the Mông people in Hà Giang province, another delightful addition is the round glutinous rice cake. For them, this circular delicacy symbolizes abundance and prosperity. Moreover, it reflects gratitude towards their ancestors, as traditionally, round cakes like bánh trôi and bánh chay are used for ancestral offerings. On this day, family members come together to craft these perfectly round cakes. After presenting them to the ancestors, everyone gathers to savor this delectable treat.

The process of making bánh trôi is simple. During Tet, the entire village echoes with the sound of rice pounding to make bánh dày and bánh trôi. The main ingredient for these pristine round cakes is fragrant glutinous rice, cultivated and harvested by the local people, resulting in irresistibly aromatic cakes. Each family can make anywhere from 50 to 100 bánh trôi to offer during Tet.

Not boasting high-class sophistication, but corn delight, known as Mèn Mén, leaves a memorable impression after just one taste, becoming an indispensable dish during the Mông ethnic group's Tet celebration. Crafted from locally sourced corn, a staple in their daily diet, the dish undergoes a meticulous process post-harvest. The Mông people patiently dry the corn on their verandas or kitchen lofts, ensuring it reaches the perfect level of dryness before transforming it into Mèn mén. To achieve a delicious bowl, various steps and time are invested.

The corn-studded mixed rice delight, Mèn mén, captures the hearts of many in the Mông community with its sweet, earthy essence of corn and the tender chewiness of rice. At local markets, it is often mixed into broth for pho or noodles. Initially confined to home consumption, Mèn mén has expanded its presence to the highland markets. Travelers exploring these markets can now discover and purchase this rustic, characteristic dish of the Mông people.

In Lao Chai (Sa Pa), the H'Mong people have an exceptionally unique dish called spicy grilled delight. To prepare this dish, ripe green chilies are roasted over a wood fire until they become mildly spicy, then taken out, dusted off the charcoal dust, and mashed with roasted salt. Just this simple process can turn it into a main course. For those seeking a more sophisticated flavor, a bit of hot oil or melted fat can be added, and the mashed chili with salt is sautéed quickly for added fragrance.

Thinking about the ingredients, one can easily imagine the taste of this dish—spicy and savory. Due to being roasted on hot charcoal, the spiciness of the chilies mellows down, making them less fiery than the usual ones we consume. Stirring the chilies enhances the aroma and allure of the dish. For the H'Mong people, specifically in Lao Chai (Sa Pa), this is a familiar dish, even one of the delicious and traditional dishes during Tet. The reason is that the lives of the people here are quite challenging, with their daily meals mainly consisting of boiled or cooked wild vegetables. Hence, the chili with its stimulating taste becomes a highlight on the dining table.

Thắng cố là món ăn đặc trưng truyền thống của người Mông, ở trung du miền núi phía Bắc, vì vậy, đây là món không thể không có mặt trong ngày Tết của người dân nơi đây. Món này ban đầu có nguồn gốc từ Vân Nam (Trung Quốc), về sau được du nhập sang các dân tộc Kinh, Dao, Tày. Thắng cố được chế biến rất đơn giản nhưng để nấu ngon miệng thì vẫn cần bí quyết riêng cũng như kinh nghiệm. Người ta mổ ngựa (hoặc bò, dê, heo), làm thịt sạch sẽ, lấy tất cả nội tạng ăn được của con vật chặt ra từng miếng. Sử dụng bếp lửa than, than phải "rực hồng", dùng một cái chảo lớn, cho tất cả các thứ vào chảo cùng lúc, xào lăn. Khi miếng thịt se se cạnh, người ta đổ nước vào chảo và cứ thế ninh sôi sùng sục hàng tiếng đồng hồ.

Để nồi nước dùng được ngon, đầu bếp người Mông phải nấu rất chu đáo: Múc từng muỗng bọt ra để nước xương thêm ngọt, thêm trong. Các bộ phận như lòng, tim, gan, tiết, thịt, xương, được cho vào sau cùng và đun nhừ, có thể cho thêm các loại rau. Gia vị truyền thống gồm muối, thảo quả, địa điền, quế, lá chanh nướng thơm, tán nhỏ, ướp vào thịt trước lúc đem xào. Ngày nay, thành phần gia vị bị nhiều nhà hàng cũng như quán ăn thay đổi nhiều khiến hương vị trở nên khác biệt rõ rệt. Khi ăn, chảo vẫn để trên bếp đun, ăn đến đâu múc ra bát đến đó. Đây là món ăn thường được làm vào các ngày Tết, lễ hội, lễ ăn thề bảo vệ rừng, những ngày có đông người như hội làng, dòng họ, hay ở chợ phiên.

Not just Mèn mén, when it comes to dishes made from corn, we must mention the tempting Corn Cake known as “pá páo cừ” – a distinctive and indispensable treat during the Tet holiday. Corn Cake is primarily made from glutinous corn, aromatic and sticky. When the corn grains are still milky, they are picked, separated, and ground into powder using a stone mortar. Subsequently, the corn powder is placed in a hanging bag, allowing excess water to drain while retaining the corn powder inside. To expedite the drying process, the bag of corn powder is placed in a pile of stove ash to absorb moisture more quickly. After about two days, when the powder in the bag is dry, it is taken out, pounded finely, and then mixed with a sufficient amount of water. The mixture is rolled into round cakes resembling donuts and fried until golden.

Simple yet reflecting the refinement and ingenuity that characterizes Mong cuisine. To enhance the aesthetics of Corn Cake, many families wrap them into triangular cakes. The preparation method remains the same, but these small, round cakes are not fried; instead, Mong people use corn husks to wrap them into triangular shapes and steam until cooked. Preserving the chewiness and deliciousness, these triangular cakes emit a fragrant aroma right from the steaming pot. Stripped of their husks, wrapped around chopsticks, or strung into a chain, this is how Mong children savor Corn Cakes. Beyond culinary culture, Corn Cakes have truly entered the lives, becoming a beauty and a part of the soul of people in the high plateau region.