Top 14 indispensable dishes on the Central region's Tet tray with rich Vietnamese flavors

Central Vietnam is a land with a diverse and rich culture, expressed through many different aspects. In particular, the Central region's Tet tray is especially imbued with the typical flavors of this sunny and windy land with many delicious, unique and meaningful dishes. Although life is still difficult, the people of the Central region still prepare a full Tet tray, expressing their wishes for a prosperous and harmonious new year. Let's explore 12 Central region Tet dishes that you should not miss.

1. Banh Tet (Vietnamese sticky rice cake)

Banh Tet (Image source: Collected)

Banh tet is the heart and soul of the Tet feast in Central Vietnam, similar to banh chung in Northern Vietnam. This traditional cake shares many similarities with banh chung, but it is long and cylindrical and wrapped in banana leaves instead of dong leaves.

Every Tet holiday, families gather together to make banh chung (traditional Vietnamese rice cakes). Fragrant new sticky rice, soft mung beans, and delicious pork, along with a touch of pepper and garlic, are wrapped in banana leaves. The cakes are then placed over a fire and cooked for 6 to 8 hours until evenly cooked and fragrant. While waiting for the cakes to cook, everyone can sit around the warm fire and share stories from the past year.

2. Sticky rice with mung beans

Sticky rice with mung beans (Image source: Collected)

In the traditional Tet (Lunar New Year) feasts of Central Vietnam, sticky rice with mung beans is an indispensable dish. For people in Central Vietnam, the sticky rice is cooked just right, not too sticky, retaining the nutty flavor of mung beans and the distinctive aroma of glutinous rice. This is a simple dish but deeply rooted in culinary culture.
3. Pickled vegetables

Pickled vegetables (Image source: Collected)

Pickled vegetables such as carrots, papaya, radishes, and shallots are harmoniously combined and marinated in a sour and salty fish sauce, resulting in a crunchy texture. This is an indispensable side dish that helps balance the richness of sticky rice cakes or fatty meat dishes.
4. Beef stew with molasses

Beef stewed with molasses, a specialty of Nghe An province, is a signature dish on the Tet (Lunar New Year) feast table in Central Vietnam. Beef is stewed with molasses, fish sauce, garlic, and various spices, creating a rich, sweet, and appealing flavor. This dish is often served as a change of pace or enjoyed with family during gatherings.
5. Veal sausage

Veal sausage (Image source: Collected)

Veal sausage from Nghe An has become a popular delicacy throughout the country. This dish not only has a unique flavor but is also very convenient for entertaining guests. With its chewy outer layer and tender, sweet meat filling, veal sausage is often stored in the refrigerator for later use.
6. Pork belly marinated in fish sauce

Pork belly marinated in fish sauce (Image source: Collected)

Pork belly marinated in fish sauce is a flavorful dish from Central Vietnam, often served with pickled vegetables or fresh greens. After being boiled, the pork belly is marinated in a mixture of fish sauce and sugar, creating a harmonious flavor. This dish can be preserved for a long time, making it suitable for busy Tet (Lunar New Year) celebrations.
7. Sour shrimp

Fermented shrimp is a famous specialty dish of Central Vietnam. The shrimp is naturally fermented and combined with galangal and garlic, creating a distinctive sweet and sour flavor. When eaten, people in Central Vietnam often pair fermented shrimp with pork belly, sour starfruit, or unripe bananas, offering a unique taste experience.
8. Braised Radish with Pork

Braised pork with radish is a rustic dish, yet an indispensable part of the Tet (Lunar New Year) feast in Central Vietnam. Pork is braised with radish, absorbing the flavors and creating a rich, savory dish perfect to serve with white rice or banh tet (sticky rice cake).
9. Fermented pork sausage (Nem chua)

Fermented pork sausage (Nem chua) (Image source: Collected)

Central Vietnamese fermented pork sausage (nem chua) is made from finely ground pork, mixed with spices, and wrapped in banana leaves. After a few days of fermentation, the sausage reaches the perfect level of sourness, making it ideal for enjoying with wine during Tet (Lunar New Year) celebrations.
10. Tre

Tré is a long-standing traditional dish, often featured in Tet (Lunar New Year) feasts in Central Vietnam. Made from pork head meat and braised pork belly, combined with galangal, garlic, roasted rice powder, and guava leaves, tré offers an unforgettable, rich flavor.
11. Ginger jam

Candied ginger (Image source: Collected)

Candied ginger is a familiar treat that helps ward off the cold during Tet (Vietnamese New Year). Thinly sliced ​​ginger is simmered with sugar until it becomes chewy and has a subtly sweet flavor. It's not only a delicious snack but also a traditional folk remedy beneficial to health.
12. Printed cakes

Rice flour cakes (Image source: Collected)

Bánh in is a type of sweet cake commonly found on the Tet (Lunar New Year) feast table in Central Vietnam. It's made from tapioca flour, glutinous rice flour, mung beans, sugar, and other ingredients. The cake is white, with the characters for "Happiness," "Prosperity," and "Longevity" carved on it, and wrapped in colorful paper. It's often used for offerings or to entertain guests during Tet. With its delicious, subtly sweet flavor, bánh in can be enjoyed with hot tea, coffee, or milk. The Tet dishes of Central Vietnam are not only diverse and appealing but also hold deep cultural and spiritual value. Hopefully, this article has helped you understand more about the unique characteristics of Tet cuisine in Central Vietnam. Don't forget to try these delicious dishes to fully experience the flavors of Tet in your hometown.

Source: https://www.vietravel.com/vn/am-thuc-kham-pha/mon-an-khong-the-thieu-trong-mam-co-ngay-tet-mien-trung-v16351.aspx