Tet Doan Ngo or Tet Giet Sau Bo (translated as TET for “Killing the persons’ inner insects”), is the second most significant festival (to the Lunar New Year Tet Holiday) of Vietnam. More about Vietnamese Doan Ngo TET (Tết Đoan Ngọ).
Besides fruits, “Ú” cake (glutinous rice cake), floating cake sweet soup, wine rice (cơm rượu),… are indispensable foods in this special Tet.
# 1. “Ú” cake cooked with ash water
“Ú” cake cooked with ash water is traditional food in Doan Ngo Tet of the South people. This cakes have shape in cone with the size of adult’s fist, the outside is package by leaves. Today, the cakes usually are sold at markets.
In order to make this cake, at first , glutinous rice straws is burned to ashes, people collect the ashes and dissolve them in water. After depositing sediment, people will get clear water part to soak glutinous rice. Remember that, do not soak too long to avoid bad smell for the cakes. Normally, people should soak rice in ash water from a half to one day. After soaking, take glutinous rice out, clean again by water and drain. The centre of cakes are usually made by green bean or not. Soaking green bean in water over night, take them out, cook and puree with sugar.
Leaves using for package are bamboo leaves. However, today, there are some places, people usually banana leaves instead of bamboo leaves. Rolling leaf in a funnel shape, put glutinous rice, cooked green bean in and spread one more rice layer on the surface, pack them into a tight triangle shape, using banana rope to tie outside. Placing the cakes in a pot and cook, when the cakes are done, take them out and soak in water for cooling, then tie some cakes together into bunch. The cakes often be used to worship or make gifts for family members in Doan Ngo Tet.
Wine rice (Cơm rượu)
Unlike the Northern wine rice usually be in separate, the Central wine rice is pressed into blocks and the Southern wine rice is rolled into balls. This food exudes juice and be mixed with sugar in order to become the true sweetness of the South. Wine rice is made as cooking steamed glutinous rice. Spreading cooked glutinous rice on the platter or mold for cool, the glutinous rice is not too hot because yeast ferment could die.
Using a sieve having small holes, put grinded yeast ferment in and sift a layer on the surface of cooked glutinous. Turn down glutinous rice and continue to sift a thin layer of yeast. The combination of cooked glutinous rice and yeast in brewing process has created sweet fresh flavor, generated sugar also makes the nutrients of food increase. Wine rice is very good effects for health such as warm body, help for fun mental.
The floating cake sweet soup
In addition to “Ú” cake, wine rice, the water floating sweet soup is also indispensable dish in this special day. Each of white glutinous flour ball having the green bean inside, serving with coconut milk will make fatty taste and it is very popular in the South.
To cook this sweet soup, it do not require a lot of hard work, but it need good skillful and sophistication. The main ingredients for this food includes glutinous rice powder and green bean. The flour is stuffed until soft and plastic. Obtain a sufficient amount of glutinous and place it on your hand and spread out into thin layer, put green bean on the centre of glutinous layer and rolling, knead it into balls.
When cooking, put a little of grinded ginger and salt. The fat and sweet taste will blend with warm peppery taste of ginger in sweet water and smell of sesame on the surface.
Source: Vnexpress
