Traditional Vietnamese Tet dishes that evoke the spirit of the holiday

Images of boiled chicken, bamboo shoot soup, crispy spring rolls, sticky rice cakes, pumpkin jam, and ginger jam have ingrained themselves deeply in the minds of the people, so much so that just mentioning them during the Lunar New Year season brings about a sense of closeness to Tet.

Despite being made with simple ingredients, the following dishes are always beloved every spring and are seen as symbols of Tet.

Tet cakes, square cakes

While people in the North prefer square cakes, those in the South favor Tet cakes. Both types of cakes share similar ingredients and cooking methods, differing only in shape and wrapping leaves (Tet cakes use banana leaves instead of dong leaves).

According to ancient Vietnamese customs, Tet is a time for complete rest, with no cooking done, so these cakes can be preserved for a long time and eaten gradually. Tet cakes typically have a savory filling with fatty pork and mung beans (similar to square cakes), but there are also versions with banana or black bean fillings.

Salted onions

During the days leading up to Tet, salted onions make their appearance and are sold in markets and supermarkets across the country. Many people joke that during this time, eating fresh salted onions is a treat worth queuing up for.

The ingredients for this dish are simple, consisting of dried shallots that have not yet been peeled. Each bulb is about the size of an adult's fingertip. A traditional Tet meal would not be complete without salted onions, which are often enjoyed alongside banh chung (sticky rice cake) to balance out the richness of the meal.

Pork sausage

In recent years, various types of sausages have become popular gifts for every Lunar New Year. Among these, pork sausage, also known as 'giò thủ' or fried sausage, is particularly common and originates from the northern region of Vietnam. It is made from minced pork, seasoned with spices, and tightly packed into casings. This dish can be stored for several days and is best kept refrigerated.

You can easily make this dish at home with the ingredients and tools available. The sausage casing can be readily purchased at local markets or specialty stores. Due to its simplicity and significance during Tet, this dish is also sold in Vietnamese communities abroad.

Boiled chicken with bamboo shoot soup

On New Year's Eve, every household prepares a boiled chicken to offer to the ancestors, with the broth cooked together with bamboo shoots and gradually consumed. Although not considered a luxury or rare dish, during Tet, boiled chicken and bamboo shoot soup still hold a special significance for each individual.

To be chosen for the altar, the chicken must be a rooster, symbolizing the virtues of benevolence, righteousness, bravery, wisdom, and faith. It is also a symbol of good luck for the coming spring. Additionally, the chicken's comb should be bright red, its legs slender, feathers smooth, agile, skin tight, breast full, and it should ideally weigh 1.5 kg.

Fried spring rolls

A must-have dish on the ancestral altar is fried spring rolls. The most traditional and popular type consists of minced pork, vermicelli noodles, shiitake mushrooms, bean sprouts, and eggs, all mixed together, wrapped in rice paper, and deep-fried. This dish can also be adjusted by substituting potatoes for bean sprouts or adding carrots, shrimp, and crab.

In the Central region, fried spring rolls are also known as 'cha cuon', while in Thanh Hoa, they are simply called 'cha'. In the South, this dish is referred to as 'cha gio' or 'Saigon-style nem' (according to Northern dialect).

Assorted nuts and preserved fruits

During Tet visits, alongside a cup of tea, assorted nuts such as pumpkin seeds, melon seeds, cashews, and preserved fruits like candied kumquats and apricots are indispensable. In the days leading up to Tet, the old streets of Hanoi, including Hang Duong, bustle with vendors selling various types of preserved fruits. Elderly residents here often reminisce about the past when the fragrant aroma of fruits permeated the air on this street. Families here mainly make preserved fruits manually, following tradition.

Apart from their cultural significance during Tet, preserved fruits serve various health-related purposes. For instance, candied ginger helps fight colds, candied kumquats soothe coughs, while candied pumpkin and coconut aid digestion.

According to VnExpress

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Reference: Travel guide from Mytour