Buzz
1. Boiled Chicken
On the first day of Tet, a must-have for a lucky year is boiled chicken. It is believed that indulging in tender chicken with its glossy golden skin will bring a prosperous and auspicious start to the year.
Usually, a whole chicken is boiled, finely chopped, and elegantly arranged on a plate, seasoned with salt and lime for a delightful flavor.
2. Red Sticky Rice
Next on the list is red sticky rice - a traditional Vietnamese dish. The red color symbolizes luck, and having red rice signifies a year filled with good fortune. That's why red sticky rice is a constant presence on tables during the intimate meals of the new year.
Warm, fragrant, and delicately tinted with the natural red hue of gac fruit, this sticky rice brings harmony and good fortune for the new year. To enhance its appeal, you can innovate by adding mung bean filling or serving it with shredded pork and Vietnamese sausage.
3. Bitter Melon Soup
Although not red in color, bitter melon soup earns its place on the list of lucky Tet dishes. The term 'bitter melon' not only refers to the food but also plays on words in Vietnamese, symbolizing the sorrows and losses of the past year flowing away, making room for a new year filled with peace and happiness.
Moreover, if you indulge in stuffed bitter melon soup, you'll first taste the bitterness of the melon before the sweetness of the meat kicks in. This signifies that all sweetness and joy will come after overcoming hardships and sorrows.
4. Square Cake (Bánh Chưng) and Cylinder Cake (Bánh Tét)
Square cake (Bánh Chưng) or cylinder cake (Bánh Tét) is an indispensable part of the ceremonial Tet meal. Both share common ingredients like glutinous rice, fatty pork, and mung beans, differing only in their shapes. Bánh Chưng has a square, sturdy form, while Bánh Tét is long and cylindrical.
Both these cakes signify boundless gratitude for our ancestors and the land. Additionally, they embody the idea of remembering our roots, the monumental contributions of our parents in nurturing us, as vast as the heavens and earth.
5. Braised Pork Belly
Braised pork belly, also known as Vietnamese caramelized pork, is a signature Tet dish in Southern Vietnam. Given the abundance of coconut trees in the region, coconut water is often added to enhance the flavor and allure of this dish.
The meat used for braised pork belly is typically pork belly with both lean and fatty portions, creating a rich, brown color that brings a warm, meaningful, and prosperous feel to the new year.
6. Assorted Candies Tray
The assorted candies tray is usually displayed on the table to welcome guests during the new year and to bring the family together for a delightful gathering. Each type of candy holds a different symbolic meaning.
A traditional Tet candy tray typically includes candied winter melon, lotus seeds, kumquats, ginger, apples, peanuts,... representing the sour, spicy, sweet, and aromatic flavors found in life.
Spicy ginger candy brings a warm sensation, while lotus seed candy is nourishing and rich. Shiny persimmon candy symbolizes prosperity, and sweet coconut candy is deliciously rich. All symbolize the spirit of reunion, gathering, and the new year's prosperity.
7. Papaya
In the South, papaya is one of the five fruits displayed on the Tet altar. Including custard apple, areca nut, coconut, and papaya - “praying for sufficiency and prosperity.” The ripe papaya color signifies dynamism, boldness, and fearlessness.
8. Watermelon
Similar to red sticky rice, the red color of watermelon signifies good luck on the first day of the new year. Watermelon is often served as a dessert during the Tet meal.
Moreover, the 'sand seeds' in watermelon phonetically sound like 'prosperity' in Chinese, signifying a harmonious and prosperous household. The numerous seeds in watermelon symbolize a household full of descendants, complete with blessings and abundance.
For this reason, many believe that consuming watermelon on the first day of the year brings complete happiness, health, luck, and wealth to the family.
9. Round-shaped Fruits
According to Vietnamese beliefs, round-shaped items symbolize good luck. Therefore, fruits like oranges, tangerines, pomelos, grapes, and persimmons are popular during Tet. The rounded form signifies completeness, integrity, and abundance.
Here's an article about what to eat for good luck on the first day of Tet. Wishing you and your family a prosperous, warm, healthy, and fortunate Tet.
