- Bánh chưng
"Bánh chưng" is a traditional Vietnamese food consisting of
glutinous rice in a square shape wrapped indong leaves ("Phrynium placentarium "; "lá dong" in Vietnamese; a relative ofarrowroot ) and stuffed withmung bean s, fatty pork, and black pepper. It is traditionally eaten during the Lunar New Year (Tết ). "Bánh chưng" is served with pickled scallions, vegetable pickles or "dưa món", and/orfish sauce .A few days before Tết, family members gather to prepare sticky rice, pork, mung beans, and banana leaves. Making "bánh chưng" requires a lot of care, from choosing ingredients to the preparation and cooking process. "Bánh chưng" are boiled for approximately 8 hours. Because "bánh chưng" have to be watched until they are done, the cooks gather their friends and neighbors to talk during the cooking night.
Traditionally, every house must have at least one or a pair of "bánh chưng" to be placed on their ancestor's altars. Before Tet, families often offer gifts of "bánh chưng" to other families, and it is typical for a family to end up with piles left of uneaten "bánh chưng" long past the holiday.
Legendary
According to an ancient tale, "bánh chưng" was invented by
Lang Liêu who was the winner in a King- choosing contest inHung Vuong dynasty. The problem is that whoever can offer ancestors the best dish would be the next King. Lang Liêu came to the throne because the square- shaped "bánh chưng" symbolizes the Earth with rice are the soil and mineral, mung bean is plant as well as meat are animal and people (and also the round shaped- "bánh dày " symbolizes the Heaven). As the cake contains that meaningful philosophy value, next generations continue to follow this tradition that offering "bánh chưng" and "bánh dày" in "Tết" holiday.External links
* [http://www.vnstyle.vdc.com.vn/lunar_newyear/tet_gastronomy/banhchung.htm Square sticky rice cake]
* [http://www.recipezaar.com/110166 Bánh chưng Recipe]
* [http://dina-n-brian.com/Alice/Banhguide.htm Alice's Guide to Vietnamese Banh]ee also
*
Bánh dầy
*Bánh tét
*Bánh tẻ
*Zongzi
*Lo mai gai
*Lotus leaf wrap
*Bánh
*Tamale
*Pamonha
*Pasteles
*Hallaca
*Corunda
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