Top 15 Indispensable Best Tet Cuisine Of Three Regions In Vietnam

Vietnamese Tet holiday also known as Tet is an occasion when people reunite and gather after a year of hard work, so Tet cuisines partly represent prosperity and happiness, along with the wish for a new year full of health and happiness and success. That’s why the Tet feast is always meticulously and sumptuously prepared.

From the elaborate, formalized feasts like banh chung, spring rolls, gac sticky rice of the north to the long-standing and sophisticated as nem chua, tre, beef roll of central feasts, or the diversity and generosity of southern feasts expressed through dishes such as braised meat, banh tet, lap xuong. The article below will introduce to you traditional typical Tet cuisines in the three regions, let’s refer to them.

Best Tet cuisine in the North

The Tet feast in the North is strictly followed by the rule: 4 bowls and 4 plates (not including dipping sauce, pickled onions and sticky rice) symbolizing the four pillars (4 seasons, 4 directions). For wealthier families, they prepare more (4 bowls and 6 plates or 8 bowls and 8 plates), sometimes large trays have to be arranged 2 or 3 floors high.

Banh chung

Making banh Chung will be one of these tet holiday activities that you can't miss, Banh chung is an indispensable typical Tet cuisine in the north. Delicious banh chung with a combination of fragrant sticky rice, sweet green beans, fatty meat and spicy pepper, all of these ingredients create a very unique and unmistakable Tet flavor.

Banh chung is not only displayed on the Tet tray but is also a meaningful gift that many people choose to give to their friends or relatives.

Gac sticky rice

Gac sticky rice is cooked from delicious sticky rice and mixed with fresh gac, then the cook steams the sticky rice. This typical Tet cuisine has an extremely eye-catching and attractive bright red color. The sticky taste of sticky rice, the sweetness of sugar and the richness of coconut milk will surprise you with its delicious taste.

Boiled chicken

It can be said that not only is it a typical Tet cuisine in the North, but also weddings and celebrations cannot do without boiled chicken. After being boiled, the chicken is not only fragrant but the meat is sweet, eaten with lime leaves and dipped in lemon and chili salt is delicious.

Pork roll

Pork roll is a typical Tet cuisine in the North that always appears in a lot of family feasts. It has a special meaning, implying “good fortune fills the house“, and is a dish that makes Vietnamese cuisine unique.

This cuisine is made from pork, pounded in a stone mortar, then wrapped in banana leaves into a cylindrical shape, then boiled until done. The fragrant, crispy, delicious white sausages both enrich the meal and can be given as gifts to loved ones.

Fried spring rolls

In the typical Tet cuisines of the North, there are always fried spring rolls that appear in every family feast. Pork belly, vermicelli, onions, kohlrabi, carrots and wood ear mushrooms are rolled in rice paper and then fried twice in hot boiling oil until golden and crispy. Fried spring rolls served with chili garlic and lemon fish sauce have become a favorite cuisine of many people.

Best Tet cuisine in the Central

The central region has harsh weather and a unique climate, so the culinary culture will also be different to match the spirit of saving and sharing of the people of the central region, shown through the fact that the cuisines are divided into sections of small plates, a little of each, arranged on a round tray.

Green bean sticky rice

Always present in the New Year’s Eve offering tray, green bean sticky rice is one of the indispensable typical Tet cuisines in the Central region. The sticky rice is cooked with shelled green beans until sticky, when enjoying it you will feel the nutty taste of each green bean combined with the fragrant taste of the sticky rice.

No need to be fancy, green bean sticky rice is still “cleaned up” every Tet and spring season all over the Central region.

Salt-cured meat

Salted-cured meat is a typical Tet cuisine in Central that people often make. Pork or beef is washed and soaked in pre-cooked fish sauce with garlic and chili. Leave for about a week for the meat to marinate, then take it out, slice it and enjoy. This meat cuisine is salty, sweet, and can be eaten with hot rice or rolled with rice paper, vermicelli, and raw vegetables, all of which are delicious.

Nem chua

Nem chua is also a popular typical Tet cuisine in the Central used to treat guests during Tet. This dish’s main ingredient is pork which is fully marinated with spices and wrapped in guava leaves or gooseberry leaves. After a few days, it can be taken out and eaten. Its taste is chewy, sour, moderately spicy due to chili, fragrant with garlic, people can eat it directly or grill it on charcoal, both are delicious.

Tre

As a traditional typical Tet cuisine in the Central region, tre is therefore indispensable on the Tet feast. Tre is made from pork skin, pork head meat and spices so it is very rich. This is an extremely suitable dish to entertain guests during Tet holidays.

Beef roll

Among typical Tet cuisines, beef roll are also very popular with Central people. The pink-red color of the roll and the salty, crunchy, sweet, chewy, spicy and fragrant taste of black pepper make beef roll a favorite dish of many people.

Best Tet cuisines in the South

Contrary to other regions, the South is a land blessed by mother nature with many rich and diverse specialties and fruits. southern people are liberal, so the southern New Year’s feast is less formal.

Banh tet

Banh tet in the South, unlike the Central region, is only monotonous with bean paste and meat. People also add many other ingredients such as sausage, salted eggs, etc. Not only that, banh tet with sweet filling has many versions such as cake filled with green beans, red beans, banana filling,…

Bitter melon soup

Bitter melon soup stuffed with meat is a popular typical cuisine in the daily meals of Southern people. As a commonly used Tet cuisine, bitter melon soup stuffed with meat means wishing that difficulties will pass and good luck and success will come in the coming year. Besides, this dish is also very nutritious and has good cooling properties.

Braised meat

Among the countless typical Tet cuisines in the South, the most famous traditional dish, loved and made the most by Southerners is meat braised in coconut milk. Meat braised in coconut water also has many other names such as meat braised with duck seeds, meat braised with wine.

People often braise a large pot to eat gradually during the first days of the year. The strange thing is that the longer the pot is braised, the more absorbent the meat becomes, the tastier and more flavorful it becomes. You can eat meat braised in coconut water with rice and bean sprouts to avoid feeling satiated.

Lap xuong

One of the indispensable typical Tet cuisines in the South that appear in every family feast . There are many types of lap xuong such as dried, fresh, shrimp, fish, lean, etc. You can fry, boil, or grill the lap xuong, depending on your preference. Frying lap xuong with water (not oil) is both safe and delicious, and good for health, so many people use it.

Coconut jam

To celebrate Tet in the South, it is indispensable to have coconut jam with a delicious aroma. This is a Southern typical Tet cuisine that every home has. With different variations, coconut jam has many delicious flavors that Southerners often invite guests to enjoy during Tet holidays. The color and delicious taste make this dish easily conquer all guests who come to your house to have fun.

Above are the Top 15 indispensable typical Tet cuisines of three regions that Hanoivoyage has introduced to you. Whether it is the North, Central, or South, Vietnamese traditional Tet cuisine has a unique, harmonious, and familiar flavor. No matter what, those feasts represent the profound, sacred values of the culture and beliefs of the Vietnamese people. If you want to learn more about Northern Vietnamese cuisine, you can read our other articles.