Today is December 29 and is considered as the 30th day of the Lunar New Year. The New Year's Eve meal of many families in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern provinces cannot lack bitter melon soup. Besides the meaning of 'the suffering goes away', does it have any other meaning?
One day at the end of the year, we had the opportunity to interview the main lecturer, Master Bui Thi Minh Thuy, a member of the Center for Research, Conservation and Development of Culinary Arts in Ho Chi Minh City, about Tet dishes, especially the New Year's Eve meal on the 30th of Tet.
Bitter melon soup, an indispensable dish on the New Year's Eve dinner tray on the 30th of Tet
Ms. Bui Thi Minh Thuy said that in terms of ingredients, bitter melon is easy to find, there are many types, this is a plant that is easy to grow, easy to care for; and pork is also a familiar food. The method of preparing bitter melon soup is simple, quick, not fussy but this is a dish full of nutrients. A soup that provides protein, fat in meat; vitamins, fiber, minerals, water in bitter melon.
The weather during Tet holiday in Ho Chi Minh City and the South is often hot and sunny. Therefore, the soup on the menu helps to compensate for the sweat lost due to the hot weather. This Tet dish also balances yin and yang, hot and cold.
"Especially, in the Vietnamese New Year's Eve meal on the 30th of Tet, the meaning of the dish is very important. Up to now, we often know the meaning of bitter melon soup is to hope for "the suffering to pass", to welcome luck and good things in the new year. But there is another meaning of bitter melon soup", said the main lecturer, Master Bui Thi Minh Thuy, member of the Center for Research, Conservation and Development of Culinary Arts of Ho Chi Minh City.
Mrs. Bui Thi Minh Thuy
According to Ms. Minh Thuy, the outer shell of bitter melon is often rough and has many thorns, this is the diversity of all things in nature. From ancient times to the present, the skin of bitter melon is like an armor protecting the seeds inside - protecting future seedlings. Bitter melon is still green, when first eaten it will taste bitter, the aftertaste is sweet, and when the fruit is ripe it will also taste sweet, the seeds when ripe are also red, symbolizing luck, the fruits of labor. The bitter taste of bitter melon is also medicinal.
The weather in the South is hot, bitter melon soup is a remedy that helps balance and is good for human health. Thus, Ms. Minh Thuy believes that bitter melon soup also contains many life lessons. In life, everyone has difficult and arduous stages, but if you persevere and try to overcome them, each person will reap sweet results.
Braised pork and duck eggs on the 30th of Tet symbolizes the square and roundness of heaven and earth.
Along with bitter melon soup, braised pork with duck eggs is also indispensable in the New Year's Eve meal on the 30th of Tet in Ho Chi Minh City and the southern provinces. Ms. Bui Thi Minh Thuy said that besides the nutritional value, suitable for the weather in the South (people can braise a large pot to eat throughout the Tet holiday, re-braise as they eat), the appearance of the dish symbolizes the round sky (duck eggs), the square earth (large, square pieces of meat), wishing for everything to be complete.
Braised pork with duck eggs, a familiar dish during Tet in the South
Northern New Year's Eve Dinner
So what dishes will the New Year's Eve meal on the 30th of Tet in the North include? Ms. Minh Thuy said that although there is no rule about the dishes that must be on the Lunar New Year's Eve meal tray, there will usually be typical dishes. Such as cakes, banh chung, banh day, banh gai, banh khao... Meat dishes, pork rolls, nem chua, braised meat, boiled chicken... Vegetable dishes with pickled onions, papaya salad, raw vegetables... Soups such as bamboo shoot soup, bong soup and indispensable sticky rice dishes such as xoi gac, xoi dau mung, xoi vo...
"Xoi gac, cha nem (fried spring rolls) and canh mien (vermicelli soup) are popular and loved dishes, but they are not mandatory dishes on the Tet meal tray. They can be replaced by other dishes depending on each family's preferences. The Tet meal tray of Northern people is very rich and diverse, not limited by any dish," said Ms. Minh Thuy.
Keeping the kitchen warm is preserving national cultural identity.
According to Ms. Minh Thuy, the Tet meal is like a miniature picture of the culinary culture of each region. Each region has its own typical agricultural and aquatic products, and this is clearly shown in the Tet dishes. For example, the North often uses winter vegetables and fruits such as cabbage, kohlrabi, bamboo shoots, combined with pork and chicken. The Central region prioritizes fresh seafood such as shrimp, squid, fish, and typical herbs. Meanwhile, people in the South use many types of tropical fruits such as coconut, mango, longan, and river seafood such as snakehead fish and catfish.
Northern Tet feast prepared by chef Nguyen Dinh Tuyen
PHOTO: THANH NIEN ONLINE
However, importantly, Ms. Minh Thuy wants to emphasize that the Tet meal is not just a simple meal but also has profound cultural meaning. To have a delicious and healthy Tet meal, we need to combine tradition and modernity, flavor and nutrition. "The most important thing is the warmth and affection of the family when gathering around the Tet meal," she said.
Ms. Minh Thuy also feels that in today's modern life, some people may be indifferent to preparing Tet dishes. Changes in consumer habits make some young people often prioritize experiences and entertainment activities over cooking at home. Or many people do not have the opportunity to learn and practice cooking from a young age, leading to a lack of skills and interest in cooking, they choose to eat out rather than cook at home.
Familiar dishes on the Southern Tet tray
This not only affects health in the long run (processed foods often contain a lot of preservatives, grease, and sugar) but also reduces family cohesion. Preparing family meals together - the Tet meal tray is an opportunity to connect family members, work together, share and create beautiful memories. This helps parents and grandparents pass on cultural and culinary values from generation to generation. When this gradually disappears, we will lose a part of the cultural identity of the nation.
"I would like to give advice to parents and young people who are students. Parents who set an example of cooking and love cooking will inspire other family members to love the kitchen more. Children should try to start with small things, such as helping their mother in the kitchen with a few simple steps, or learning and cooking a dish they love on their own. Gradually, they will discover the joy and excitement of cooking, while also contributing to preserving the traditional values of the family," said Ms. Bui Thi Minh Thuy.
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/ngay-30-tet-bua-com-tat-nien-thom-mui-canh-kho-qua-vi-sao-185250127145403062.htm
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