Traditional Vietnamese Tet cuisine on the 'background' of 'healthy, unforgettable' stylizations

Still banh chung, still canh bong, still gio xao… the flavor does not lose its traditional features, despite the many “modern technologies” contained in it. That is the way that the leading culinary expert, famous for her contribution to elevating Vietnamese cuisine - Madam Nhung chose in her journey of building her brand.

Banh chung is an indispensable dish during Tet and Spring. Not to mention that now, banh chung has become a year-round dish, you can buy it on the full moon day or the first day of the lunar month to offer incense and enjoy. Banh chung can be homemade for families who still maintain traditional customs. Banh chung can be purchased in a variety of types, salty, sweet, Banh chung Dat To, Banh chung Gu, Banh chung with Hue pepper. There are traditional banh chung, banh chung with stylized fillings... In that very diverse market and there are not many "niches" to "shine", but there is still a woman - a culinary artist, who is very famous for her traditional national dishes that have been modernized but still do not lose their value - Madam Nhung, decided to create her own banh chung brand.

Not aiming for stylization, Madam Nhung said she still believes that banh chung must be the "culinary heritage" of the nation, with cultural values that must not fade. It must still be Tu Le sticky rice for the best taste, the most sticky, the most fragrant, the cleanest and the most flavorful. It must still be the best piece of meat, the best bean, the dong leaves on the outside, the string used to wrap the cake must also be the most delicate. To make a banh chung with a full flavor, soft and delicious, to taste as you eat it, ensuring it is imbued with the traditional Tet flavor. And especially, no preservatives, no colorants, everything is natural from traditional spices and ingredients. However, it is even more special when such a banh chung has a shelf life of up to 2 months, "defying" the impact of "space" and "time". The reason, as Madame Nhung shared, is because of the cleanliness of all ingredients, the strict selection of all components to create banh chung. Along with that, there is a “secret” that cannot be revealed, so that even if the banh chung is left in the freezer for 2 months, when taken out to be microwaved, or steamed according to the instructions on the product, it will still be a sticky, fragrant banh chung, not “loose like popcorn”.

Not only focusing on banh chung, many other traditional Tet dishes are also "gutted" by Madam Nhung to bring the most perfect products possible to diners, without losing the traditional features, but also very "up to date". According to this culinary expert, she believes that 60% of a delicious dish is thanks to good ingredients, 40% is the role of the chef. And the ingredients she chooses are the best, cleanest, most organic ingredients possible. For example, with fried pork roll, it is important that all ingredients are clean. The pork roll must be soft enough, but not lose its crispness, not dry and hard, and not crushed; fragrant with the rich smell of fish sauce and pepper, so that any Vietnamese person when enjoying it must exclaim, "Oh, it's like the fried pork roll my mother used to make for me." Or like jellied meat, a product that Madam Nhung is proud of that can not only be enjoyed in the cold of winter, but also in the heat of summer is still very "ok", not afraid of crumbling, not afraid of not freezing. That is thanks to a processing journey that is not simple at all. The jellied layer is thanks to the clean pieces of skin, carefully simmered. Along with that, the meat and ingredients are also simmered for 12 hours, making the meat like old meat, fragrant, but still not broken, smooth, light and clear, not creating a feeling of fullness.

And finally, with the rolled pork ball soup. The flavor of this dish is refreshing and light. So if cooked with chicken or pork broth, it is not certain that it will ensure that feeling. Therefore, Madam Nhung chose vegetarian broth as the "base" for this traditional dish. And she "compensated" for the richness and sweetness by simmering the balls with chicken fat, shiitake mushrooms and shrimp; to enhance the aroma, deepen the sweetness and make the flavor of the ball dish still not be lost as traditional... Also because nowadays, MSG has become a "discrimination" for many families, so to create sweetness for the dish, Madame Nhung was determined to find fruit juice as "MSG". Thanks to that, her dish still ensures the sweetness "like having MSG", but is safe and healthy for health, which are the things that today's cuisine is aiming for. Spring is near, which is also the time when stories about banh chung, canh bong, gio xao... can make people more interested... And with the dishes, the sharing of the leading culinary expert, famous for her contribution to elevating Vietnamese cuisine - Madam Nhung; can really make us love more the traditional feasts of many generations, which sometimes we think are now "old".

According to Madam Nhung, banh chung is a rich culinary work of art of Vietnam, famous for its special flavor created by the aroma of dong leaves, mixed with the rich taste of spices and green beans with pepper inside. Dong leaves, used to wrap the cake, carry a characteristic aroma and are soft and smooth, making each piece of banh chung delicious and attractive. The green beans, after being steamed, create a delicious fatty layer, providing a sweet and smooth flavor. This creates a balance of the sweetness of the green beans and the saltiness of the fish sauce, creating a unique and unforgettable flavor. When eaten, banh chung not only brings traditional flavor but also a journey to enjoy the culture and spirit of the Vietnamese people through each delicious piece of cake.

Baotintuc.vn

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/am-thuc/am-thuc-truyen-thong-tet-viet-tren-nen-cua-nhung-cach-dieu-lanh-manh-kho-phai-20240126063152653.htm