The Tet feast not only reflects the sophistication and neatness of the Vietnamese people. It is also a special connection between one generation and another in each family and clan. Nowadays, with cultural exchanges, the presence of many regional dishes, depending on the preferences of each family, makes the Tet feast increasingly rich and diverse.
Traditional Tet tray
According to traditional customs, the Tet feast is often carefully prepared by Vietnamese families, with elaborately prepared dishes and beautifully presented. This action symbolizes the sincerity of descendants to their ancestors in the first days of the year, and at the same time wishes for a full and fulfilling life in the new year. Therefore, the culinary culture of Vietnamese people during the three days of Tet also has the meaning of reunion, prosperity and luck for the whole year.
Vietnamese Tet cuisine is also known for its richness and diversity among ethnic groups and regions, all of which are oriented towards the common traditional cultural values of life and origin. Along the S-shaped strip of land in the early days of Spring, from the northernmost point in Ha Giang to the southernmost point of Ca Mau Cape, it is not difficult for us to encounter a colorful culinary picture. Each ethnic group and each region has its own way of preparing and presenting Tet dishes with its own flavors and characteristics.
According to culinary artist Anh Tuyet, ancient Vietnamese people, especially those in the North, attached great importance to preparing for Tet holiday. The dishes on the traditional Tet holiday tray are special and rare dishes that are available every day. In particular, the Tet holiday tray often depends largely on the economy of each family. For families with average economic conditions, the tray usually has 4 bowls and 4 plates, not including sticky rice, dipping sauce and pickled onions, symbolizing the four pillars, 4 seasons, 4 directions. 4 bowls include: Soup of ball and meatballs, stewed pig's feet with dried bamboo shoots, mushroom and vermicelli. 4 plates include: Chicken, fried spring rolls, banh chung, pork roll (or cinnamon sausage, head cheese).
Dishes on plates are usually served first, while dishes in bowls are served later. For well-off families, they can make a larger tray with 6 bowls and 6 plates or 8 bowls and 8 plates, adding some very special dishes such as carp, braised grass carp with galangal, steamed tiger prawns, kohlrabi salad or papaya... The traditional Tet tray in the past may not be complete, but it cannot lack banh chung, bamboo shoot soup, fatty pork roll, pickled onions and meat. Banh chung is usually boiled from the 27th to the 28th of Tet, the bamboo shoots are soaked in rice water a few days before and then placed next to the pot of banh chung to keep it hot to save firewood, while other foods depend on the creativity of the women in the family...
Depending on the culture of each region, the Tet feast also has differences. To suit the customs and practices, each place has a different feast, creating diversity in culinary culture. For example, in the mountainous areas, in addition to the necessary dishes, the Tet feast often has specialties such as dried buffalo meat, smoked sausage, etc.
For the ancient Hanoians, bong is the most typical dish. Bong has existed for hundreds of years, bong bi is taken from the shoulder of the pig, after boiling, all the fat is filtered out, dried and grilled until puffy. From the main ingredient of bong bi, the ancient Hanoians processed into dishes such as stir-fried bong, bong soup. The ingredients to make bong soup are also very elaborate, to slice a plate of almonds takes up to 2 hours; carrots, jicama, kohlrabi, ham, sausage, meat all have to be sliced at the same distance, perpendicular.
Modern Housekeeping
In fact, along with the flow of modern society, Tet in the 4.0 era is also very different from before. However, no matter how busy life is, the traditional Tet holiday still has a special place in Vietnamese culture. The dishes chosen on the first day of spring always contain the most quintessential and typical things, clearly reflecting the ingenuity and skill of the person who makes them.
Ms. Le Thi Huong (Cau Giay District, Hanoi) shared: “For my family, the Tet meal is always an occasion for all family members, relatives and friends to sit together. Whether we have traveled far or near, there are happy or sad stories, successes or failures throughout the past year, we share them. That is why, no matter how busy we are, when Tet comes, spring comes, everyone tries to sit together for at least one meal at the family dinner table.”
According to Ms. Huong, the pace of life in the 21st century means that her family cannot spend time preparing elaborate feasts like before and has to “adjust” to suit reality. Ms. Huong and her family spend frugally, but that does not mean that her Tet feast is lacking in sophistication. Like last year, she had prepared all the ingredients since the beginning of December. In addition to sticky rice with gac fruit and boiled chicken, Ms. Huong also made spring rolls, mushroom soup, stir-fried vegetables with meat, pork sausage, and a portion of pickled onions. Ms. Huong can still easily order traditional dishes that she does not have time to prepare at a few familiar addresses.
Similarly, Mr. Bui Anh Ngoc (Nghe An province) has been working away from home for many years. Whenever he remembers Tet, he remembers dishes that are deeply rooted in tradition. “Although life is getting busier and more hectic, on Tet holidays, people living far away from home like us return to our homeland, only wishing to enjoy a family meal or prepare a Tet meal together. And certainly, the image of a large family happily gathering around a Tet meal in a cozy atmosphere will always be engraved in our hearts,” Mr. Ngoc expressed.
The respectful Tet tray offered to our ancestors contains a connection between the past and the present, between different generations in the family. Standing before the ancestral altar on Tet holiday, in the fragrant space, each of us has the opportunity to look back at ourselves, see our homeland, our family, to be grateful, to be proud, to be optimistic and excited to move forward in the days ahead...
Source: https://giadinhonline.vn/hon-viet-qua-mam-co-ngay-tet-d204318.html
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