Tet— The Vietnamese Lunar New Year—can fall between the last ten days of January or the middle of February. It is the celebration of man’s interaction with nature. It is also a celebration of family ties centered on “the home.” As part of tradition and custom, everyone returns home for the New Year. Activities that lead up to the new year consist of cleaning the house, buying new clothing, not working, eating, visiting family members and close friends, and making amends.
The Vietnamese Lunar New Year is based off of the Vietnamese Zodiac Calendar. The twelve zodiacs consist of the rat, buffalo (ox), tiger, cat, dragon, snake, horse, goat monkey, cock, dog and pig. This year in particular is the year of the Cat. This year, Tet begins on the 3rd of February.
A traditional Tet food found especially in local Asian supermarkets is banh cung. Banh Cung is made out of rice, pork and green beans wrapped in banana leaves. It is boiled in large pots for several hours made in mass quantities. Once cooked, it can be fried for a more crispy texture. Bang cung can last for 3 to 4 weeks and is usually eaten with pickled carrots and scallions. The square shape and flat surface symbolize the Earth/land.
(Traditional Clothing)
do you know if the Asian markets in Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti have banh cung?
ReplyDeleteI like the pics. Is the áo dài usually just worn for Tết, or are there other occasions for which it's worn?
ReplyDeleteYour áo dài is so pretty!
ReplyDeleteIs banh cung sold all year round or mostly around the Vietnamese New Year?
ReplyDelete