A taste of Tet: Foreigners try their hand at making Vietnam’s festive rice cakes

Making banh chung and banh tet is an art that demands precision and care. For two foreign visitors, the challenge was part of the fun as they embraced this traditional Tet experience.

Although making banh chung and banh tet in Vietnam requires patience and skill, two foreign visitors admitted that the effort was well worth it, as they found these traditional cakes to be incredibly delicious and a highlight of the Tet holiday.

Jongrak, a South Korean content creator who has lived in Ho Chi Minh City for nearly six years, recently shared a video on his YouTube channel, which boasts over a million followers, documenting his experience making banh chung at a well-known shop on Cong Hoa Street in Tan Binh District.

Having lived and worked in Vietnam for six years, Jongrak confessed that he had never tried making banh chung (square sticky rice cake). This year, he decided to take on the challenge, hoping to deepen his understanding of Vietnam’s traditional Tet customs.

At the shop, the owner and staff introduced Jongrak to the essential ingredients for making banh chung, including dong leaves, mung beans, pork, and sticky rice.

Under their enthusiastic guidance, he learned each step, from folding the leaves and wrapping the cake to ensuring a firm and aesthetically pleasing final product.

The shop owner, originally from Phu Tho, explained that a well-wrapped banh chung must be firm to prevent it from falling apart during cooking. A high-quality cake should be evenly cooked inside and have an appealing appearance.

Jongrak quickly picked up the process and followed along, wrapping a cake under supervision. However, he admitted that making banh chung was much harder than it looked, requiring precision and dexterity.

After several attempts, he finally completed his first banh chung. He promised to try again next year to improve his technique and become more skilled.

Later, Jongrak purchased a fully cooked banh chung weighing one kilogram for 95,000 VND.

As he unwrapped the cake, he was delighted by its fragrant aroma and the delicate green hue imparted by the dong leaves. Using bamboo strings to slice the cake, he eagerly took his first bite.

"Banh chung is very delicious - sticky, chewy, and aromatic. I’d love to bring some back to Korea for my family to try," he shared.

Similarly, Lawrence Mak, a Canadian visitor, enthusiastically took part in making banh tet, a staple Tet dish in southern Vietnam.

He visited a family-run banh tet (cylindrical sticky rice cake) shop in Ho Chi Minh City, where the owner demonstrated the meticulous process of wrapping the cylindrical rice cakes.

Observing closely, Lawrence noted that unlike banh chung, banh tet comes in a variety of flavors and colors. The rice can be infused with natural dyes from cam leaves or pandan, while the fillings range from sweet (banana, peanuts, mung beans) to savory (pork belly, dried shrimp, Chinese sausage, salted egg yolk).

Focusing intently, he followed the instructions and successfully wrapped several banh tet, thoroughly enjoying the hands-on experience.

After completing his cakes, he was invited to taste different varieties of banh tet and was pleasantly surprised by their diverse flavors and textures.

"Banh tet is amazing - it has a perfect balance of sweet, savory, and chewy textures. My favorite is the traditional filling with creamy mung beans and rich pork fat, perfectly complemented by the fragrant sticky rice," Lawrence said.

He also shared that he had previously tried banh chung and appreciated both types of Tet cakes for their unique cultural significance and flavors.

To him, each type of cake carries its own distinct shape and taste, yet both embody the deep-rooted traditions of Vietnamese Lunar New Year.