With the sounds of passing motorbikes, dogs barking, and trees blowing in the wind, I sat at a table in the backyard of the home of my wife’s family on the rural outskirts of Binh Duong Province, just outside Ho Chi Minh City. The entire family sat together on the concrete and went through the ritual of making bánh chưng before Tết.

Bánh chưng is a traditional food of Vietnam that is specifically only served at Tết. 

It is made from glutinous rice, mung beans, and pork, wrapped in lá dong (dong leaves). It dates back to the sixth Hùng Dynasty and carries with it a legend entrenched in Vietnamese culture for centuries.

A similar dish to this is bánh tét, which uses the same base ingredients but is shaped like a cylinder.

Watching my father-in-law work with such focus, I could sense the passion and precision he poured into preparing this once-a-year delicacy. Sharing these hefty rice cakes with family and friends during Tết is considered a true honor.

But it is eating bánh chưng that brings the biggest memories for foreigners. 

The only way I can describe this food is 'heavy.' One slice is enough to keep you full for a day or more. The heavy, compacted sticky rice complements the solidly packed bean filling.

Last year, I was given a bánh chưng as a gift, and holding it felt like holding a gold bar… It was that heavy.

The construction of the food, with a solid bean core, packed in a layer of sticky rice and wrapped in a special leaf, is firmly secured with a traditional string that completes the presentation and makes it easy to transport.

This string also acts as a portable cutting tool. And for me, this is one of the photo moments I always enjoy. The string is tied in such a way that it is also used as a cutter to create slices when it is opened. It is pretty special to watch.

Unfortunately, this is where my love for the traditional food comes to a quick stop. As a foreigner, the heavy carbohydrate invasion of one slice often makes me so full that I end up feeling ill for the remainder of the day.

It is not that it tastes bad, because it is actually okay, but the extreme consistency of the food instantly fills you, and it is almost assured that you will overeat very quickly when offered a slice when visiting family.

Add to this, for those foreigners with a Vietnamese family, the 4, 5, or 6 family homes that you visit over the Tết days, and your calorie intake is sure to hit the red zone.

But secretly, bánh chưng is more than just the few days of Tết. It is made to stay in the fridge for weeks after the holiday season. This creates that special surprise when you get home from work and find fried bánh chưng, kimchi, and a little meat for dinner.

And this is, in my opinion, the true traditional aspect of the dish that I love.

I turn back to watching my father-in-law and his family work all day in their backyard to prepare 20 or so of these packets. This hard work isn’t just to make people sick once a year, but it is a true gift from the heart.

Bánh chưng is really a reflection of the spirit of Tết and the deep sense of community that is Vietnam. As the legend from the sixth Hùng Dynasty suggests, it holds in it the true spirit of Vietnam.

This year, again, I will be offered way too much bánh chưng. I will find all the excuses in the world to avoid eating it, and I will be surprised in February and March to find it on my plate when I arrive home for dinner. But most of all, I will take a moment to watch my family and remember the true kindness that comes with making every one of the bánh chưng gifts that they will share this year.

Chúc Mừng Năm Mới and chúc sức khỏe – wishing good health to all.

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