Dumplings in China (Source: Internet)
Many nations have special dishes known as lucky dishes to be enjoyed at traditional festivals or greeting parties, such as Banh Chung in Vietnam, Dumplings in China, Mochi in Japan and Laab in Laos…
Vietnam
Banh Chung (Chung cake) is a traditional and irreplaceable cake of Vietnamese people in the Tet Holidays – the Lunar New Year of Vietnam. For the Vietnamese, making Banh Chung is the ideal way to express gratitude to their ancestors and homeland.
In the traditional conceptionof Vietnamese people, the process of making Chung cake is the opportunity for the family to come together. Sitting around the warm fire, all members of the family tell one another stories of the past and are ready for a New Year with wishes of best things.
Nowadays, in some big cities, the business lifestyle of modern society prevents people from preparing the cake, however, the habit of ancestor worship with Chung cake never changes. It is evidence of the Vietnamese loyalty and deep gratitude to ancestors.
Korea
Korean New Year is the first day of the lunar calendar. It is the most important of the traditional Korean holidays. It consists of a period of celebrations, starting on New Year’s Day. Koreans also celebrate solar New Year’s Day on January 1 each year, following the Gregorian calendar.
“Dduk mandu gook” is traditionally served on New Year’s Day because Koreans believe the whiteness of the dduk pieces symbolize good luck in the coming year. Dduk mandu gook is best served with spicy side dishes such as Napa cabbage kimchee (baechu kimchee) and cubed white radish kimchee (kkakdugi).
China
China rings in the Lunar New Year in a big way. The festivities begin on the first full moon of the new year and last for 15 days.
Chinese New Year Foods are very important to Chinese people. All family members come together to eat at Spring Festival. Chinese New Year foods are not only delicious, but also steeped in tradition.
The New Year’s Eve dinner is the most important dinner for Chinese. Normally this is the family reunion dinner, especially for those with family members away from home. In the New Year’s Eve dinner, normally fish will be served. Dumplings are the most important dish in Northern China. These two dishes mean prosperity. Other dishes are depending on personal preference. The majority of Chinese will have New Year’s Eve dinner at home instead of in a restaurant.
Laos
Lao New Year, called Songkran or Pii Mai, is celebrated every year from April 13-15.
The most famous Lao dish is Laab, a spicy mixture of marinated meat and/or fish that is sometimes raw with a variable combination of herbs, green and spices.
“Laab” means fortune or luck in the Lao language. Thus, laab is an indispensable item on serving trays at nearly every family reunion or festive occasion, and especially the festivities around the traditional Lunar New Year.
Laab is a simple dish made from minced beef, venison, or sometimes buffalo or fish, mixed with vegetables and spices. It is very popular here and Lao people consider it to be the soul of the party for events around holidays and the New Year.
Lao people eat Laab in daily meals with sticky rice. On the New Year holiday, families exchange New Year’s wishes along with laab. The variety of ingredients and rich taste makes laab not only attractive in daily cuisine, but also popular on all special occasions, from simple parties to formal death anniversaries or holidays.
Japan
The Japanese New Year is an annual festival with its own customs. The preceding days are quite busy, particularly the day before.
Mochi is a traditional Japanese snack made of soft and extremely sticky glutinous rice paste. The Rice Cakes are crafted by soaking short grain sweet rice overnight, cooking it, and then pounding the rice into a paste. The Mochi paste is then formed into a variety of different shapes ranging from round balls to highly decorative pastries for celebrations.
Mochi Rice Cake is often filled with sweet contents such as azuki red bean paste, ice cream, or even whole strawberries. Mochi can also be found in soups like Zoni, which are eaten in celebration of the Japanese New Year and it is commonly sold and eaten during that time./.
Đăng ký: VietNam News