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Vietnamese man makes lifelike Tet snacks from clay

Vietnamese man makes lifelike Tet snacks from clay

Thursday, February 03, 2022, 10:36 GMT+7
Vietnamese man makes lifelike Tet snacks from clay
A box of ‘mứt Tết,’ traditional sweet snacks for the Vietnamese Tet holiday made from clay by Nguyen Tan Dat in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

A man in Ho Chi Minh City is celebrating Vietnam’s time-honored tradition of enjoying particular sweets and snacks during the Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday with a lifelike clay replica of the delightful treats.

‘Mứt Tết’ is a traditional snack box enjoyed throughout the country during the Tet holiday season, which lasts a week from Tuesday this year.

Nguyen Tan Dat, a resident of Ho Chi Minh City’s District 3, has been lauded for celebrating ‘mứt Tết’ by crafting a clay model of the beloved snack box.

It took Dat about two weeks to make his clay ‘mứt Tết’ replica. The most difficult part of the process, Dat said, is painting each item.

Nguyen Tan Dat and his box of ‘mứt Tết.’ Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

Nguyen Tan Dat and his box of ‘mứt Tết.’ Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

After Dat shapes each part of his clay ‘mứt Tết,’ he allows them to dry naturally for six hours before coloring and adding patterns.  

The 37-year-old’s box of ‘mứt Tết’ includes sugar-coated lotus seeds and sliced roots, raisins, sugar- preserved shredded coconut, salted dry apricot, Jujube fruit, and other candied fruits.

Such a box, typically placed in the living room, is a staple in Vietnamese households across the country during the holiday season and usually sits alongside 'hoa mai' (yellow apricot blossoms), 'hoa dao' (peach blossoms), and other traditional Tet foods.

Dat said people had been through ups and downs due to COVID-19, so he wanted to bring everyone some joyful moments looking at his works.

Clay sugar-coated lotus seeds in Dat’s box of ‘mứt Tết.’ Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

Clay sugar-coated lotus seeds in Nguyen Tan Dat’s box of ‘mứt Tết.’ Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

Salted dry apricots made from clay by Nguyen Tan Dat in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

Salted dry apricots made from clay by Nguyen Tan Dat in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

Nguyen Tan Dat uses pulverized paper to create the sugar coating for his clay snacks. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

Nguyen Tan Dat uses pulverized paper to create the sugar coating for his clay snacks. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

Nguyen Tan Dat working on clay with his hands. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

Nguyen Tan Dat works on clay with his hands. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

Sugar-coated ginger slices made from clay by Nguyen Tan Dat in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

Sugar-coated ginger slices made from clay by Nguyen Tan Dat in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

Nguyen Tan Dat colors a shred of clay candied coconut. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

Nguyen Tan Dat colors a shred of clay candied coconut. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

Nguyen Tan Dat makes Jujube from clay. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

Nguyen Tan Dat makes Jujube from clay. Photo: Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

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Dong Nguyen - Ngoc Phuong / Tuoi Tre News

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