'Banh chung'

The difficult days when food and clothes were scarce are already far past, and ‘banh chung’, which was previously only available during Tet, is now consumed all year round. But the difference is that during Tet, ‘banh chung’will be made in a more elaborate way, as an offering to the ancestors and for everyone to taste the dish, in the most complete way at reunion meals.

Legend has it that the square ‘banh chung’ is wrapped by the green ‘dong’ leaves, which represent the fertile soil of Vietnam’s wet rice agriculture. Inside ‘banh chung’ is sticky, fragrant rice, combined with green beans and fatty pork belly cuts marinated with pepper and other seasonings.

‘Dong’ leaves can be purchased at all markets ahead of Tet. To ensure that ‘banh chung’ is good-looking, the leaves must be green and undamaged. After being bought, the wrapping leaves must be cleaned thoroughly to remove any dust and grit before letting them dry naturally.

A ‘banh chung’ needs about five or six dong leaves, the rice and the filling depends on the size of the cake to be wrapped. To wrap the ‘banh chung’, it is necessary to do steps: Placing the dong leaves at staggered angles, spreading a layer of glutinous rice evenly on the leaf surface, then spreading the green beans evenly over the rice, arranging the marinated pork belly in the middle, and continuing to cover with more layers of green beans and rice, wrapping the leaves in a square, and tie across. It is necessary to hold it firmly and evenly, so that the cake will not be distorted or out of balance. After completing the process of wrapping the cake, the cake will be boiled in a large pot.

Boiling cake seems to be simple, but it is the most important step, needing the most meticulousness, because it takes a lot of time and effort. During the seven to ten hours of cooking the cake, it is necessary to have enough heat to keep the water boiling, and not to let the cake pot be short of water, in order to avoid the case where the cake is half cooked or raw. Nowadays, families often boil cakes with charcoal or electric stoves, but cooking with firewood is still the most delicious and soft.

During the Lunar New Year's Day, on the Tet tray to offer to ancestors, as well as at parties on the Lunar New Year holiday of the Northern people, it is indispensable for the image of green ‘banh chung’ with meat and pickled onions.

In recent years, although the economy has been quite prosperous, modern life is busy and ‘banh chung’ are available for sale, many families still maintain the custom of wrapping ‘banh chung’ on Tet, to help their children understand more about the traditions of their ancestors and nation. Although it takes effort, but in return, the moments when the whole family gathers around, will become a precious memory in everyone's life.

‘Banh phu the’

‘Banh phu the’ (husband and wife cake) is also a typical cake during Tet holiday forthe northern people, especially the areas of Bac Ninh - Kinh Bac, the hometown of these cakes. Every Lunar New Year, people get together and prepare delicious cakes, with the wish of a happy and prosperous life.

It is said that the very first ‘banh phu the’ was created hundreds of years ago in Dinh Bang ward, Tu Son city, Bac Ninh province. According to locals, ‘banh phu the’, also known as ‘banh xuxe’ was dated to the Ly dynasty (1009-1225), when King Ly Anh Tong (1136 - 1175) was leading his army on the battlefield, he received a cake box made by his Queen. The cakes tasted sweet and he named them ‘phu the’ cake, to honour the love of married couples.

In another version, legend has it that when King Ly Thanh Tong (1023-1072) and his wife visited the Do Temple Festival, in Bac Ninh province, the King was offered indigenous cakes made by a young married couple in the village. Delighted by the tasty flavour of the cakes, he named them‘banh phu the’. Since then, ‘banh phu the’ has been used in weddings and festivals, as a symbol of the faithfulness and happiness of marriage.

The making of ‘banh phu the’ requires careful selection of ingredients, from sticky rice, green beans, banana leaves, dong leaves, and ‘danh danh’ (cape jasmine) fruits. The outer layer of ‘banh phu the’ is made from ‘nep cai hoa vang’ (a special kind of sticky rice of the north), which is grounded to powder and is then mixed with white sugar, shredded green papaya, banana oil, and vanilla.‘Danh danh’ fruit juice is added into the mixture to create the yellow colour for ‘banh phu the’. Meanwhile, the inside of the cake is made of green beans, which are cooked and blended with white sugar, coconut milk and grated coconut.

Banana leaves and‘dong’leaves are washed and drained. The stalks and midribs of the leaves are removed to make them softer. The inner layer of leaves for wrapping the cakes are banana leaves which must be boiled and let dry. Before wrapping, the cook rubs a thin layer of fat on the leaves so that the cake does not stick when being peeled off. The fat also adds a greasy taste for the cake. After wrapping, the cakes are boiled and taken out to tie into pairs with a pink string,to convey the wish for eternal love of husband and wife.

Every year when cherry blossoms bloom, signalling the arrival of Tet (lunar New Year) festival, locals of Dinh Bang are busy making ‘banh phu the’ for their families and for customers, throughout the provinces and cities across the country. The odour and the viscosity of the cake, plus the crunchiness of shredded green papaya, the greasy taste of green beans and coconut, and the sweetness of sugar, paired with the golden colour of the crust, together they create a very characteristic flavour for ‘banh phu the’. The appearance of ‘banh phu the’ brings about the spring atmosphere to the ancestors' altars and the family meals on Tet holiday.

And for the people of Dinh Bang, making ‘banh phu the’ is to prolong the tradition of the homeland.