Every New Year comes, every family’s tray of rice appears with traditional cakes. Let ‘s find out the deep meaning of the cakes we often eat every day not everyone knows.
The cake made from glutinous rice, green beans, and fatty meat stands out with the green shell of dong leaves surrounding it. (Photo: Dangtung_hn).
Chung cake is a traditional cake of the North that is indispensable in the rice trays on Lunar New Year. The cake made from glutinous rice, green beans, and fatty meat stands out with the green shell of dong leaves surrounding it.
Northern people often boil or fry crispy banh chung and then dip it with soy sauce/fish sauce. The traditional cake appeared from the Hung King’s time, the square cake symbolizes the earth. The loose strings tied outside to cut the cake also show the spirit of solidarity and attachment of family members; unity of the whole nation.
The deep meaning of banh chung lies in the filling inside. Delicious glutinous rice ingredients have been the food that has fed people for generations, also symbolizing the traditional wet rice agriculture of Vietnam. The green dong leaves wrapped around the filling inside the bread symbolizes the birth and protection of parents.
Southerners pack long cylindrical banh tet with the filling spread evenly inside. (Photo: Thao243).
Banh Tet is a cake similar to banh chung of the North. The rice tray of the Southern people cannot be complete without Banh Tet wrapped in banana leaves, dong leaves and the filling consisting of pork, green beans and glutinous rice.
Unlike banh chung, Southern people pack long cylindrical banh tet with the filling spread evenly inside. Banh Tet has historical significance, symbolizing the image of a mother enveloping her children. The presence of banh tet on important occasions is also a reminder of the parents’ gratitude for their birth on the first day of the year. Thus, each Vietnamese child is always filial and remembers the gratitude of his parents. Southerners often eat banh tet with pickles and other anti-sickening vegetables.
Raw materials for making rustic cakes from glutinous rice flour, mung bean flour, lotus seeds… (Photo: At_vo, uneboucheepour).
Banh co, also known as banh in, is one of Hue specialties. The atmosphere of the traditional Tet holiday in Hue always brings with it culinary touches and the presence of colorful cakes is the first sign of recognition. Hue people often use banh co with cups of hot tea to fully enjoy the sweet and savory taste of the cake.
The ingredients for making rustic cakes are from glutinous rice flour, mung bean flour, lotus seeds… but the method is quite sophisticated and elaborate. The history of Banh Co originates from the Nguyen Dynasty, this cake was offered to the king to drink tea on the occasion of the Lunar New Year. Cake means wishing the king a long life, so it gradually becomes an indispensable specialty of Hue every New Year.
This cake is suitable for diners of all ages. (Photo: Vnlocalfood).
Green bean cake is a simple specialty of the land of Hai Duong, a gift used to entertain guests and give gifts on holidays and Tet. This cake was once offered to King Bao Dai during a visit to Hai Duong and was praised by the king. The mild sweetness of green beans when enjoyed with tea has created a beauty in the cuisine of the people of this country.
The main ingredients to make this cake are pure green bean flour, refined sugar and vegetable oil. This type of cake is suitable for diners of all ages with the meaning of connecting generations of the family together in soul-talking sessions, enjoying tea, and eating cakes.
Banh phu thi is also known as banh xeo/suse depending on the variations of the regions.
The wife cake, a specialty of Bac Ninh, is not only present on wedding occasions, but is always present on important holidays and Tet. This cake is meant to symbolize the loyalty of the couples. The thin dough that embraces the mung bean paste inside represents the warm embrace and protection of husband and wife love.
Banh phu thi is also known as banh xeo/suse depending on the variations of the regions. The sweet and chewy taste of glutinous rice flour, green beans and coconut fibers make the cake an attractive dessert. At the beginning of the new year, enjoy sweet and delicious cakes with a cup of hot tea to make you feel joyful and fresh when thinking about the love between the couple in the family.
This cake originated from the Hung King period.
A specialty cake of the land of Binh Dinh that is loved by many people is the little gai leaf cake. The cake has gradually become a familiar dish during the Lunar New Year in our country.
Little cake is also very popular in the traditional Tet holidays
Not only attractive thanks to the unique delicious taste, but this cake is also extremely meaningful.
With a beautiful shape like an indigo tower, this cake also originated from the Hung Kings. The youngest daughter created this cake based on the banh chung and banh day of her two brothers and presented it to her father. King Hung liked it very much and named it banh less, like the youngest daughter of the King.
Banh Mi is made from chicken eggs, vanilla, tapioca flour, flour, sugar…
It will be easy to meet shield cake during Tet or ancestor worship in the Central and Southern regions. The cake is almost as big as a cup with the shape like the petals of apricot blossom, which is a typical flower for Tet in central and southern Vietnam.
Banh mi cake adds meaning when it carries a wish for a peaceful, happy and lucky new year. Not only that, the unique and attractive taste will make the family gathering time more complete.
This dish is a wonderful combination of ginger, glutinous rice and black sugar.
On the occasion of the Lunar New Year, the people of Quang in particular and the people of the Central region in general will eat tote cakes. This dish is a wonderful combination between the spicy but warm taste of ginger, the fleshy taste of glutinous rice and the sweet aroma of black sugar. When making cakes, the mold will be lined with bamboo and pinned tightly to prevent it from bursting. The surface of the cake will be sprinkled with fragrant sesame.