Is 2025 a leap year? What are the sample explanatory essays on traditional Tet dishes in Vietnam?

Sample explanatory essays on traditional Tet dishes

Chung cake

Chung cake, a dish that has been associated with the Lunar New Year for ages, is not just an ordinary dish but also carries deep cultural and family affection meanings.

The ingredients to make Chung cake are simple, mainly consisting of sticky rice, green beans, pork belly, and dong leaves. However, to create a delicious Chung cake, one must prepare meticulously from selecting ingredients to wrapping and boiling steps. Sticky rice must be round, plump, and fragrant. Green beans must be de-hulled, cleaned, and soaked with rice. Pork belly should be chosen with more fat and less meat for a buttery flavor. Dong leaves must be fresh and without pests.

The process of making Chung cake is quite elaborate. After soaking, the rice and green beans are mixed well together. Pork belly is boiled and sliced into bite-sized pieces. Leaves are used to wrap layers of rice, beans, and pork into square or round shapes. Then, the cakes are stacked in a pot and boiled for several hours.

The fragrance of dong leaves blends with the sweetness of sticky rice and the richness of pork belly, creating the distinctive flavor of Chung cake. When cooked, the cakes are removed to cool and then sliced into square pieces. Chung cake is usually eaten with braised pork, pickled vegetables, or Vietnamese pork rolls, creating a rich unforgettable flavor.

Chung cake is not just a delicious dish but also carries profound cultural significance. The square shape symbolizes earth, the green color of dong leaves symbolizes sky, and the grains symbolize abundance and completeness. Wrapping Chung cake has become a communal activity that strengthens family bonds.

Today, despite modern life's changes, Chung cake still holds a special place in the heart of every Vietnamese. This dish is not only a symbol of the Lunar New Year but also of Vietnamese culinary culture.

Sample 2

Steamed momordica glutinous rice

Steamed momordica glutinous rice, with its vibrant red color, is an indispensable dish on the Tet banquet table of Vietnamese people. Not only visually appealing, Steamed momordica glutinous rice also signifies wishing for luck and prosperity for the new year.

Gac seeds, a special fruit with a hard outer shell and bright red flesh rich in vitamin A, are the main ingredient that gives an extraordinary color to xôi. Sticky rice is carefully selected, often using Gac flower fragrant sticky rice or Gac flower fragrant sticky rice with a waxy texture for the best stickiness and aroma. Additionally, depending on family preferences, some may add a pinch of salt, sugar, or shredded coconut to enhance the flavor.

To make Steamed momordica glutinous rice, first, the ripe Gac fruit is deseeded, and the flesh is finely pureed to obtain the red portion. After cleaning, the sticky rice is mixed evenly with Gac flesh. This mixture is then steamed until cooked. Once cooked, the sticky rice is shiny, red, and exudes a distinctive aroma.

Steamed momordica glutinous rice is typically served with braised pork, Vietnamese pork rolls, or simply sprinkled with shredded coconut on top. The mild sweetness of sticky rice blends with the richness of coconut, creating an unforgettable flavor.

The red color of steamed momordica glutinous rice symbolizes good fortune and prosperity. Therefore, during Tet, people often prepare a plate of steamed momordica glutinous rice to place on the ancestral altar to pray for a peaceful and happy new year.

Steamed momordica glutinous rice is not just a tasty dish but also holds deep cultural meanings. It is an indispensable part of the spiritual life of Vietnamese people, especially during the Lunar New Year.

Sample 3

Raised pork belly in coconut water

Raised pork belly in coconut water, a familiar and beloved dish in every Vietnamese family, especially during the Lunar New Year. Its rich flavor and attractive appearance have become an indispensable symbol on the Tet dining table.

The main ingredients for Raised pork belly in coconut water include pork belly, quail eggs, coconut water, sugar, fish sauce, pepper, onion, and garlic. Pork belly should have both lean and fat so that the meat will become tender and juicy when stewed. Quail eggs are usually boiled before being added to the pork for stewing. Coconut water is an ingredient that imparts a characteristic sweet taste to the dish.

To make a raised pork belly in coconut water, the pork belly is sliced into bite-sized pieces and marinated with seasonings like fish sauce, sugar, pepper, and minced onion, and garlic. The pork is then stewed with quail eggs and coconut water, simmering until the meat is tender and the sauce thickens.

Raised pork belly in coconut water a beautiful caramel color, with tender and flavorful pork and just-right cooked quail eggs. The aroma of the stew blends with the sweetness of coconut water, creating an unforgettable taste. Raised pork belly in coconut water is commonly served with white rice, pickled vegetables, and salted eggplants.

Raised pork belly in coconut water is not only a delicious dish but also carries deep meaning. Its caramel color symbolizes warmth and family reunion, while the sweetness represents a fulfilled, happy life.

During Tet, a family meal is incomplete without raised pork belly in coconut water. The aroma of the stew spreads throughout the house, creating a warm, festive atmosphere. This dish is not just food; it is a bond connecting family members together.