Keeping the fire burning in the pot of bánh tét (Vietnamese sticky rice cake) during Tet brings the small neighborhood closer together.

TPO - In a small hamlet in Hung My commune (Ca Mau province), the tradition of exchanging labor to wrap banh tet (Vietnamese sticky rice cakes) still takes place regularly every Tet holiday. Families in the hamlet take turns helping each other wrap the cakes, sharing sticky rice and supporting each other, a tradition that has been persistently preserved amidst modern life.

Amidst modern life, many families in Ca Mau still maintain the custom of making banh tet (Vietnamese sticky rice cake) for their children and grandchildren to eat and to offer to guests during the Lunar New Year, reminding those far from home, "Tet is about returning home, about reuniting around a pot of banh tet, a time of warm family togetherness."

Ms. Nguyen Thi My Ba (67 years old, residing in Hung My commune, Ca Mau province) said that she had prepared sticky rice, boiled beans, marinated ripe Siamese bananas, etc., beforehand so that when her neighbors came to help , she could start wrapping banh tet (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) for Tet .

For over 40 years as a daughter-in-law, Mrs. Ba has been dedicated to making banh tet (Vietnamese sticky rice cakes) during the Lunar New Year. She recounts that in the early days of her marriage, it was her mother-in-law who guided her through each leaf fold, how to evenly distribute the filling, and how to tie the strings tightly. Since then, making banh tet has become a family tradition every Tet holiday.

"My family makes these to eat throughout the three days of the Lunar New Year, and we also pass on the recipe to our children and grandchildren. Today, our neighbors came to help, and tomorrow I'll go to their house to make more as a thank you," Mrs. Ba said.

Once the rice cakes have been neatly tied together, the boiling process begins.

The bánh tét makers will put pandan leaves in a pot and boil the water until it boils, then add the bánh tét and cook it for about 4 hours. During that time, the fire must be kept steady. Children in the house are assigned the task of tending the fire, adding firewood, and refilling the water. This is considered an unforgettable childhood memory for many.

To wrap a beautiful rice cake, the wrapper must lay two layers of banana leaves lengthwise, scoop a layer of sticky rice and spread it evenly, add mung beans in the middle, arrange bananas or fatty pork on top, and then cover with another layer of sticky rice.

Once the cakes are cooked, they are taken out, hung on a tree to drain, then cut into small slices and placed on a plate to offer to the ancestors.

Most bánh tét in Cà Mau have a filling of banana blossom or mung bean paste. The bánh tét is wrapped into long, firm rolls… symbolizing abundance and fulfillment.

The fire in the kitchen used to boil bánh tét (Vietnamese sticky rice cake) during Tet (Lunar New Year) helps to strengthen the bonds between family members and neighbors.

Source: https://tienphong.vn/giu-lua-noi-banh-tet-ngay-tet-xom-nho-them-gan-nhau-post1820879.tpo