This is the first year that I tried recreating Tết’s dishes that for years I took for granted. When I was young, I never thought I would be able to do these dishes, thinking that these family traditions eventually will die with me, in my generation. The little Tiffanie just saw how complicated these traditions were, and she never wanted to complicate her life afterall.
And why complicated? This post is Bánh tét, a Tết specialty for which I don’t have a translation. It is a pastry(?) of glutinous rice and black beans wrapped in banana leaves, boiled in water for 3 hours. Traditional savoury version has pork belly and mung beans also. Our ancestors choose 5 ingredients that represent 5 elements Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth to make this dish a symbol of harmony for a smooth new year.
Every year I ate this as a ritual, but I never thought anything more than that. It was just a food that we eat in an occasion, and that was how I took these memories, these tastes, for granted. When I left home at 17, I never thought of self identity. Years living abroad, I learned and adapted many things that made me more progressive. Then I asked myself: so who am I really? Am I representative of my country and culture?
This year I have an answer. The food I am craving for, the tastes and memories that appear vividly in my head, is a proof and a reminder of who I am. For the first time in years, I found my rich culture in me. The urge to learn and maintain these traditions. Food, is not just for the sake of eating. It is how I can revive a life, a culture, a tradition, a memory, an emotion. That was why I made these for the first time this year, and it felt wonderful. At least I knew I brought the Tết’s atmosphere to my new home, because my dad definitely felt it and loved it.
Just few more hours to 2021, happy new year my friends!! Chúc mừng năm mới!! 🥳