Keeping the Tet spirit alive through the family feast.

In the hustle and bustle of modern life, there are moments that allow people to slow down and listen to the very gentle beat of memory. For Vietnamese people, the Tet feast is one such moment. More than just a family reunion meal, the Tet feast is a gathering place for the essence of culture, beliefs, and family affection, preserved through generations.

A traditional Tet feast in Northern Vietnam. Photo: Khanh Hoa/TTXVN

Tet feast - the beginning of family reunion

As Tet (Vietnamese New Year) approaches, no matter how far away they are, Vietnamese people long to return home and gather around the New Year's feast. In traditional belief, the feast is not only for the living but also a solemn invitation to their ancestors and deceased grandparents. Therefore, each dish is prepared carefully and thoughtfully, embodying reverence and the hope for a peaceful and prosperous new year. The Tet feast is usually offered to the ancestral altar at midnight on New Year's Eve or on the morning of the first day of the new year. Incense smoke wafts through the air, prayers softly echo in the quiet space, and then the whole family sits together, beginning the new year with a warm meal. It is a moment when all the worries of the old year seem to be set aside, giving way to faith and hope.

According to common custom, the Vietnamese Tet (Lunar New Year) celebration must include a feast with special dishes rarely found on ordinary days. The feast must be lavish and appealing, full of vibrant colors, such as the green of banh chung (sticky rice cake), the bright red of gac fruit sticky rice, the golden yellow of bamboo shoot soup, and the rosy pink of gio lua (pork sausage)... creating a traditional feast rich in Vietnamese identity. Against this common backdrop, as we travel across the country during Tet, we encounter diverse culinary landscapes across the three regions: North, Central, and South.

The feast in Northern Vietnam is refined and skillfully prepared.

Dishes that embody the authentic flavors of Vietnamese Tet (Lunar New Year). Photo: Hong Phuong/News and Ethnic Groups Newspaper

During Tet (Lunar New Year) in Northern Vietnam, the weather is usually cold, perhaps that's why people in the North seem to indulge more with rich, fatty, and high-energy dishes. Especially in this region, which has been the capital of many emperors, the Tet feast in the North always reflects sophistication and skill. It emphasizes both presentation and a harmonious balance between soups and dry dishes, and between meat and vegetables.

In particular, the traditional Vietnamese New Year feast in Hanoi is considered well-organized and retains the traditional characteristics of Vietnamese cuisine. Sticky rice cakes (Bánh chưng) are indispensable not only in the traditional Tet (Lunar New Year) cuisine of Northern Vietnam but also throughout the country. Besides that, sticky rice with gac fruit, pork sausage (giò lụa), stir-fried pork sausage (giò xào), chicken, fried spring rolls (nem rán), a pot of braised carp or catfish with galangal, and a plate of kohlrabi or papaya salad are must-have dishes for Tet. The soup dishes are equally diverse: vermicelli soup with chicken offal, pork trotters stewed with bamboo shoots, meatball soup… Each dish is rich in flavor, leaving a lasting impression of the taste of Tet in one's hometown.

Central Vietnam's Tet feast - the flavor of frugality and sharing.

Visitors learn about traditional Hue vegetarian feasts. Photo: Khanh Hoa/TTXVN

People in Central Vietnam are also meticulous and detail-oriented, so their Tet (Lunar New Year) dishes are carefully prepared. Looking at and enjoying a Tet feast in Central Vietnam, one can almost sense the essence of frugality and sharing. Instead of banh chung (square sticky rice cake), they make banh tet, a cake with a flavor very similar to banh chung. Besides banh tet, Central Vietnam also has many other types of cakes placed on the Tet feast table, such as banh to (rice cake) and banh in (printed rice cake). Central Vietnamese Tet cuisine also includes nem chua (fermented pork sausage) and thit giam (vinegar-marinated meat). Especially in the ancient capital of Hue, where many royal dishes are still preserved, the Tet feast is even more elaborate and sophisticated. Dishes like sour shrimp and sliced ​​pork, grilled beef skewers, shrimp cakes, and fig salad are always present. Some regions in Central Vietnam also add dishes like beef stew and braised lean pork, which are very appealing.

While Northern Vietnam is known for its pickled onions, Central Vietnam is characterized by its pickled vegetables. The ingredients for pickled vegetables are quite simple, consisting only of carrots, papayas, etc., which are pickled in a sour and salty sauce. Although it sounds easy to make, creating a jar of pickled vegetables full of color and flavor requires meticulousness and skill. Therefore, whether simple or sophisticated, the Tet (Lunar New Year) dishes of Central Vietnam, through the hands of diligent women, become incredibly appealing.

The Tet feast in Southern Vietnam is simple and down-to-earth.

Visitors learn about traditional Tet (Lunar New Year) feasts in Southern Vietnam. Photo: Khanh Hoa/TTXVN

Southern Vietnam is renowned for its simple, honest, and generous people, coupled with abundant natural resources that, without elaborate preparation, still captivate the taste buds. Perhaps that's why the culinary culture of the South, both on ordinary days and during Tet (Lunar New Year), is generally simpler than that of the North and Central regions. Banh tet (sticky rice cake), braised pork, and bitter melon soup are three characteristic dishes of Tet in Southern Vietnam.

In Southern Vietnam, there's a folk verse that goes: "The bird calls three times by the river / Hurry and choose sticky rice before the winter ends and Tet comes." During Tet, people in Northern Vietnam eat banh chung (square sticky rice cake), while people in Southern Vietnam eat banh tet (also known as banh don). To suit different tastes, banh tet is made in many varieties such as savory banh tet, vegetarian banh tet without filling, sweet banh tet, etc. While there are many famous banh tet villages in the Mekong Delta, nowhere produces banh tet as delicious as in Tra Cuon (Tra Vinh, now Vinh Long province). It can be said that banh tet is the "soul of Tet" for people in Southern Vietnam.

Besides sticky rice cakes (bánh tét), another indispensable savory dish during Tet, regardless of wealth, is braised pork with eggs or coconut milk. This dish harmoniously combines yin and yang, with square pieces of braised pork and round, white eggs submerged in sweet coconut milk. It's best enjoyed with white rice and pickled vegetables. Adding a bowl of bitter melon soup stuffed with meat helps us fully appreciate the flavors of life, bidding farewell to the hardships of the old year and looking forward to a better, more fortunate new year.

Nowadays, the busy pace of life leads many families to choose simpler Tet feasts, or even order them from catering services. However, the spirit of the Tet feast remains intact. Whether there are few or many dishes, the most important thing is the presence of family members, the moment of sitting together, wishing each other a peaceful new year. In many urban areas, Tet feasts are also adapted to be healthier, reducing oil and fat and increasing vegetables, suitable for modern lifestyles. Nevertheless, no matter where, traditional Vietnamese Tet cuisine always retains its distinctive, unique, harmonious, and familiar flavors. As life becomes increasingly busy and hectic, those who live far from home return to their hometowns during Tet, hoping to enjoy a family meal or prepare the Tet feast together.

An Ngoc/VNA (compiled)

Source: https://baotintuc.vn/doi-song-van-hoa/giu-lua-tet-tu-mam-co-gia-dinh-20260212063339157.htm