#1: Banh Chung (The Square Steamed Cake) – The most typical food on Tet Festival

Eating well is a key to celebrate Tet in a right away. And, Banh Chung is the indispensable item for the Tet celebration particularly in the North of Vietnam. It is the square-shaped rice cake including sticky rice, seasoned pork, and mung bean, wrapped in the banana leaves. Also, some chefs might wrap the package in plastic, tie it with the little red or green ribbon, and stick a small red paper on it, which means good luck. Traditionally, the square shape of Banh Chung represents the Earth, associated with deep meanings of the universe. Besides the steamed version, the Northern people also prefer the fried version by frying Banh Chung on the nonstick frying pan with a little oil and moderate heat. Packages of this square-shaped cake take 6-8 hours of boiling to finish.

#2: Banh Tet (The Cylindrical Steamed Cake)

Banh Tet and Banh Chung include the similar ingredients of sticky rice, seasoned pork, and mung bean, but the difference lies in their shape. While Banh Chung is square and represents the Earth, Banh Tet is cylindrical which might represent the Moon. This is the popular item in the South of Vietnam, which also takes long hours for boiling. Generations of the Southern families often prepare and cook this special cake in the New Year’s Eve so that they have the great food ready on the first day of the New Year. The youth are expected to help clean the banana leaves and wrap the packages following the adults’ instructions while the mothers are in charge of seasoning the pork, steaming the mung beans, preparing the sticky rice, etc., and mixing them. All activities create the cozy and happy memories.

#3: Cu Kieu / Dua Muoi (The Pickles)

Various kinds of root vegetables and leeks can be fermented to create the pickles – the delicious item to eat with the braised pork and eggs in light fish sauce. In particular, the pickled small leeks are often prepared by the housewives in even weeks before the Tet holiday. Also, some families prefer to buy the plastic jars of the pickled onions in the local market. In any way, the pickles are so common that almost every family wants at least one jar available in their kitchens. This kind of traditional food for Vietnamese Lunar New Year is good for digestion of the other meat-rich dishes.

#4: Mut (The Candied Fruits)

This is the pure Vietnamese food part. The candied fruits are wildly popular in the local markets, which ensure every family can buy kilograms of the candied treats like coconut, sweet potato, tamarind, mango, etc. The brightly colored candied fruits are usually present on the tables to serve any guest who comes during the Tet spans. People of all ages love to chew it. So, if you travel to Vietnam on Tet and ask “what do Vietnamese eat for Lunar New Year?”, then the answers should include the candied fruits.

#5: Yummy Seeds and Nuts

The most popular items are the salt roasted cashew nut, lotus seed, watermelon seed, sunflower seed, sesame seed candy, and peanut candy. You’re sure to find these seeds, nuts, and candies in the local markets during the Tet holiday for the easy purchase. If you have a chance to visit any Vietnamese family, it’s taken for granted that you will be invited to savor at least one kind of these mentioned seeds and nuts. Otherwise, you can buy the preferred yummy food and discover the taste by yourself. The chewing experience is rewarding.

#6: Boiled Chicken – The most popular food for Vietnamese Lunar New Year

Most of the altars to worship the ancestors in Vietnam have a space for the boiled chicken – the delicious food for Tet holidays. People might put the processed whole chicken to do worshipping, but some families might decide to chop the chicken into the little pieces and display them on the plate. The food should be topped with the Vietnamese coriander and eaten with the sauce including salt, pepper, and lemon juice. The yellow boiled and skin-perfect chicken represents the good beginning of the New Year.

#7: Nem Ran or Cha Gio (kinds of Vietnamese Spring Roll)

“Nem Ran” is the popular item in the daily meal as well as the indispensable food in the traditional tables for worshipping the ancestor in the Northern Vietnam. In the same sense, “Cha Gio” is the famous dish in the Southern Vietnam. Both are fried to be crunchy outside while the interior includes meat, egg, mushroom, onion, shrimp, peanut, etc. These kinds of spring roll are often served with the fresh vegetables, wrapped in the rice paper, and dipped into the fish sauce. The eye-catching display of both “Nem Ran” and “Cha Gio” is able to make you mouth-watering. As usual, the spring rolls should be served while it is still hot and crispy…

#8 Vietnamese sausage (Gio Cha)

“Gio Cha” (Vietnamese ham/sausage) is another traditional food in Tet holiday, and usually served with Xoi (sticky rice) and Banh Chung. Gio is different from Cha since Gio is boiled and Cha is deep-fried. Vietnamese people make Gio from lean meat, added fish sauce and covered by leaves then boiled for hours. Cha is also made of lean pork and ingredients, but Cha is not wrapped by leaves and boiled but deep-fried in oil. Cha just survive for some days when Gio can last for month due to its covers. There are many kind of Gio, categorized by its origins: Gio Lua (made from pork), Gio Ga (made from chicken), Gio Bo (made from beef). All these types are used not only in Tet holidays but also over the year.

Source: http://culinaryvietnam.com/

Tet occurs around late January or early February according to the Vietnamese lunar calendar.

It is the most beautiful time of the year when streets are lit with red lanterns, and buildings are decorated with cherry blossoms and apricot flowers.

Because there are plenty of exciting activities around Lunar New Year, it is worth visiting Vietnam to experience Tet like a local.

If you are planning to join a Vietnam Tour during Tet, you definitely should not miss out these top things to do on this special occasion.

Wandering around the streets

During Tet, the streets are appealing and decorated with Vietnamese Lunar New Year vibes.

According to Asian beliefs, the color red is said to represent fortune and prosperity. That is the reason why you will see the streets explode in red and other bright colors during the week-long holiday.

If you are into the hustle and bustle, wandering around pre-Tet streets will be your favorite thing to do since the streets are busy with the flock of Vietnamese people and the flurry of trade for pre-Tet preparation.

In contrast, for those in search of tranquility and cultural discovery, going downtown on the first days of the Lunar New Year is one of the top must-do activities.

Tasting traditional Vietnamese Tet dishes

Another not-to-be-missed thing to do during Lunar New Year is tasting flavorsome traditional Vietnamese cuisine.

In addition to customs and traditions, Tet features a wealth of traditional Vietnamese dishes that satisfy both one’s taste buds and their culinary discovery tour.

Above all, ‘banh chung’ and ‘banh tet’ are the most representative Tet dishes made from glutinous rice in northern and southern Vietnam, respectively.

The dishes include such ingredients as pork meat and mung beans wrapped in a square of dong leaves.

Eating banh chung and banh tet is a must-try on Tet holiday for foodies and rice addicts.

Other common items on the traditional Tet menu consist of ‘gio cha’ (Vietnamese sausage made from ground pork, pureed beef or a mixture of pork, pig’s ear, pig’s nose, and wood ear mushrooms), ‘xoi gac’ (red sticky rice cooked in baby jackfruit flesh), and ‘nem’ (fried spring roll with ground meat and diced vegetable filling).

Apart from cooked dishes, one should not miss out on roasted watermelon seeds, dried nuts, and candied fruits.

Vietnamese candied fruits are made of nutritious ingredients like coconut, ginger, kumquat, winter melon, lotus, and tamarind, which are good for one’s health and can help relieve pains as well as stress.

So, joining a Vietnamese food tour and savoring tasty traditional dishes are the most fulfilling activity during Tet holiday.

Visiting Vietnamese Tet markets

As the Tet holiday approaches, thousands of Vietnamese outdoor markets that sell decorations, clothes, flowers, potted plants, and various things for the Lunar New Year are opened to meet consumers’ needs.

Many people come here to purchase the Tet essentials like cherry blossoms, kumquat trees, different kinds of flowers, colorful decorations, red items emblazoned with the Vietnamese zodiac, and festive gifts for the upcoming Lunar New Year.

Northern Vietnam offers numerous things to do on Tet while learning about new cultures and traditions from hill tribe markets.

Visiting Tet markets is a must-do activity to immerse in the vibrant Tet atmosphere and get a deep insight into the local Vietnamese life.

Furthermore, you’ll experience a handful of things to do at Tet markets and admire the festive atmosphere taking place only once a year.

Visiting Buddhist pagodas

In Vietnamese traditions, the Tet holiday is a busy time for Buddhists.

As a part of their spiritual life, many Vietnamese people believe that Lunar New Year is the most sacred time to pay respects to their ancestors and deities.

At the beginning of the holiday, many worshippers visit Buddhist pagodas to offer incense and pray for blessing, health, happiness, wellness, and fortune in the upcoming year.

If one is religious, it is essential to make a pilgrimage to a Buddhist pagoda in Vietnam during Tet.

In Cam Ranh, there is a famous Snail temple which is also a famous place in the beginning of the year.

On the few days of early Tet, these places are perfect to calm oneself and relieve anxiety in life.

All in all, a Vietnam trip during the Tet holiday will feast your eye on delightful scenery with the New Year vibe and broaden your mind on the Vietnamese culture.

Source: tuoitrenews.vn