MAKING BANH CHUNG (VIETNAMESE SQUARE STICKY RICE CAKE) | TET SERIES | VIETNAMESE LUNAR NEW YEAR 🧧

Summary

In this video, the creator demonstrates how to make Banh Chung, a traditional Vietnamese rice cake, during the Lunar New Year (Tet). The recipe combines glutinous rice, mung beans, and pork, wrapped in Dong leaves. The history behind Banh Chung, originating from the 6th Hung emperor's reign, is shared, highlighting its symbolism of the Earth and sky. The video captures the personal experience of making the dish, learning the importance of each step, and reflecting on the cultural significance. The creator enjoys the process, shares a delicious taste test, and encourages viewers to try making or tasting Banh Chung.

Takeaways

• 😀 Bánh Chưng is a traditional Vietnamese rice cake made of glutinous rice, mung bean, and pork, and is a key food for Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year).
• 😀 The cake symbolizes the Earth, while another type of cake, Bánh Dày, symbolizes the sky, both stemming from Vietnamese folklore.
• 😀 The story behind Bánh Chưng's creation involves Lang Lieu, who won the throne by making the cake for the king using local ingredients.
• 😀 The making of Bánh Chưng is a cherished family tradition where members bond, share stories, and honor their ancestors during Tết.
• 😀 Key ingredients for making Bánh Chưng include sticky rice, mung bean, and pork belly, wrapped in dong leaves.
• 😀 The proper way to wrap Bánh Chưng involves folding the leaves over the ingredients and tying the cake with bamboo strings.
• 😀 The cakes are boiled for at least 8 hours, with constant water addition to ensure the cakes remain submerged.
• 😀 After boiling, the cakes are rinsed with cold water and pressed to remove excess water before being cut using bamboo strings.
• 😀 The speaker enjoys the process of making Bánh Chưng, noting nostalgic feelings and the unique technique of cutting the cake with bamboo strings.
• 😀 Tasting Bánh Chưng brings a combination of flavors—sticky rice, savory pork, and mung beans—and the speaker appreciates the tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture of the fatty pork.
• 😀 Despite the richness of the dish, the speaker feels it’s a special treat, especially for Tết, and acknowledges it can lead to weight gain due to the high carb and fat content.

Q & A

What is Banh Chung, and why is it significant in Vietnamese culture?

Banh Chung is a traditional Vietnamese rice cake made from glutinous rice, mung beans, and pork. It is especially significant during Tet (Lunar New Year) as it symbolizes the Earth and represents gratitude to ancestors and the unity of the Vietnamese people. It was invented during the reign of the 6th Hung emperor as a symbol of harmony between the sky, Earth, and wet rice civilization.

What do the ingredients of Banh Chung represent?

The ingredients in Banh Chung, such as pork, mung beans, and sticky rice, symbolize plants, animals, and the wet rice civilization, reflecting the close relationship the Vietnamese have with nature and agriculture.

How is Banh Chung traditionally made?

Banh Chung is made by layering sticky rice, mung beans, and pork belly inside dong leaves, then wrapping and tying it with bamboo strings. The wrapped cakes are boiled for at least 8 hours before being rinsed, pressed, and cut using bamboo strings.

What does the shape of Banh Chung symbolize?

The square shape of Banh Chung symbolizes the Earth, while the round cake, called Banh Day, represents the sky. This reflects the traditional Vietnamese belief in the harmony between nature and the universe.

What role does Banh Chung play during Tet celebrations?

Banh Chung is an essential food during Tet, bringing families together to celebrate the new year and honor their ancestors. The process of making the cake is a family tradition and an opportunity to share stories and experiences.

What makes Banh Chung different from other traditional Vietnamese cakes?

Banh Chung is unique due to its square shape, representing the Earth, and its combination of rice, mung beans, and pork. It is also boiled for hours to ensure the flavors meld together, creating a distinctive taste.

What cultural legend is associated with the creation of Banh Chung?

According to folklore, the 6th Hung emperor held a competition to find the best dish. His son Lang Lieu, using local ingredients, created Banh Chung, which impressed the king and earned him the throne, making Banh Chung a symbol of loyalty and gratitude.

What other types of Banh are similar to Banh Chung in southern Vietnam?

In southern Vietnam, people eat Banh Tet, which has a similar set of ingredients to Banh Chung but is shaped differently. Banh Tet is typically round, whereas Banh Chung is square.

Why does the creator prefer using bamboo strings to cut Banh Chung?

The creator prefers using bamboo strings to cut Banh Chung because the cake is very sticky, and a knife would not be effective. The bamboo strings allow for a clean and precise cut without damaging the texture of the cake.

How does the cooking process enhance the taste of Banh Chung?

The long boiling process (at least 8 hours) allows the flavors of the pork, mung beans, and sticky rice to meld together, and the fatty pork becomes tender and less greasy, creating a rich, savory taste that is balanced by the chewy rice.