As Tet approaches, from peaceful rural markets to bustling city markets, the vibrant green of bundles of banana leaves is a common sight. Banana leaves are an indispensable ingredient for wrapping banh chung – the traditional cake of the Lunar New Year.
The dong leaf has long, wide, thin, yet tough blades. When cooked, banh chung (Vietnamese rice cake) wrapped in dong leaves retains its natural green color, making it visually appealing and preserving its distinctive aroma.
Dong leaves are sold at Lai Dong market in Tan Son district from the beginning of the twelfth lunar month.
Around mid-December, when the apricot and peach blossoms begin to bud, the harvest of dong leaves for Tet (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) truly begins. Dong leaves are transported in trucks to various locations. Dong leaves typically grow in damp places, especially in streams and under forest canopies. The higher the humidity, the greener and larger the leaves. Therefore, in mountainous districts of the province such as Thanh Son, Tan Son, and Yen Lap, people usually collect dong leaves growing in the forest or on hillsides. After harvesting, the leaves are sorted by size, from large to small, then collected and transported to small traders or sold to individual buyers.
At the markets, a corner adorned with the vibrant green of banana leaves adds to the festive atmosphere of spring. At Lai Dong market in Tan Son district, people have been selling banana leaves since the beginning of the twelfth lunar month. With nimble hands, untying bundles of leaves and advising customers, Ms. Dinh Thi Ha from Chieng 1 area, Lai Dong commune, said: “Banana plants grow abundantly in humid areas, under the forest canopy, especially along small streams. My main job is farming, but during the period leading up to Tet, I take advantage of the time to go to the forest, following streams and water channels to find banana leaves. Around the 20th of the twelfth lunar month, small leaves sell for about 35,000 VND per 100 leaves; large leaves for about 50,000 VND per 100 leaves, and the price is usually higher closer to Tet.”
Dong leaves are used to wrap banh chung (Vietnamese rice cakes).
- Wrapping banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes) at Chinh Anh facility, Hung Viet commune, Cam Khe district.
In addition to harvesting wild dong leaves, people also utilize areas near ponds, along rivers, and in gardens to cultivate them. Normally, dong leaves are mainly sold to establishments specializing in wrapping banh chung (Vietnamese rice cakes). However, during Tet (Vietnamese New Year), the demand for dong leaves increases significantly as many families make banh chung themselves to offer to their ancestors. Dong leaves can be harvested year-round, but during Tet, the price is high and market demand is strong. Therefore, around September, people stop cutting the leaves and focus on nurturing the plants to produce large, beautiful leaves to meet the needs of people during the Lunar New Year.
People in Cao Xa commune, Lam Thao district, harvest dong leaves to supply the Tet market.
Beside the tall, overgrown cassia trees that obscure a person's head, Ms. Kieu Thi Tu from Zone 11, Cao Xa commune, Lam Thao district, hurriedly harvested leaves to deliver to a facility that makes banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes). She said: "Knowing that cassia trees prefer high humidity, I planted about 1 sao (approximately 1000 square meters) of cassia leaves near the pond and in the corner of my garden. The plants branch vigorously, producing dozens of leafy branches each year, with each branch yielding 5-6 leaves. After cutting and bundling the leaves, they can be stored in a shady place for up to a month, so I started harvesting and selling them from the 15th day of the 12th lunar month."
Making a beautiful, perfectly square rice cake is quite elaborate, involving many steps, starting with selecting the banana leaves. The fragrant aroma of the leaves, blended with sticky rice, mung beans, and pork when the rice cake is cooked, awakens the entire kitchen, bringing a warm and intimate feeling as Tet approaches. In modern society, there are many modern packaging materials, but none can replace this special type of leaf in wrapping rice cakes.
Nguyen Hue
Source: https://baophutho.vn/la-dong-vao-vu-tet-226382.htm
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