Linh Son Pagoda’s banh for the Lunar New Year
Linh Son pagoda, Houston, click on the image to see more pictures of the pagoda.
Linh Son pagoda, Houston. Click on the image to see more pictures of the pagoda.
Although not all Vietnamese living oversea can take a day off to go to the pagodas on the first day of Tet, many manage to keep the tradition. Of course there is no strict requirement that one has to be looking at and praying to the Buddha at a certain day, for a certain amount of time, or with a certain prayer. Tet is not a religious based tradition. But many Buddhist and even non-Buddhists like to go to the pagodas on the first day of Tet to have a peaceful start of the new year, to feel spiritually lightened (hopefully enlightened as well) and pure on the important day. Many also choose to eat no animal product on this day, as it’s the new spring and every creature deserves to be happy and live in peace. Nonetheless, vegan restaurants are somewhat scarce in the conservative town, places with banh chung banh tet for sale don’t generally make the vegan version, and to deprive a Vietnamese of banh chung banh tet on a Tet’s day is somewhat cruel. So the pagodas take on the precious task.
Dua mon is pickled vegetables, here packaged in jars, and apparently on sale for $5? I believe I haven’t had dua mon. I’m not big on veggies in vinegar-sugar-salt mix, the only exception to me is pickled bean sprout (dua gia). But perhaps because every house during Tet is so overabundant with meat and glutinous rice, the dua being a bit tart, a bit sweet, crunchy, and light is a nice change in both taste and texture. In fact, with its economic nature and longevity, a big jar of dua on its own makes Tet in poor households.
Back to the star of Tet food. The square ones are banh chung, the cylindrical ones are banh tet. Banh chung is wrapped in dong leaves, banh tet is wrapped in banana leaves (theoretically). Banh chung declothed:
and quartered:
Mother got to the banh tet before I did, with a knife. I was 5 minutes too late to grab the camera. So here, in all gruesomeness, six “khoanh” of banh tet:
If you’re wondering, yes, their basic structure, except for the shape, is the same. Thick coat of glutinous rice outside, simple mung bean paste inside, since these are vegan banh made and sold at the pagoda. The meaty version of banh chung has lean pork amidst the bean paste, and that of banh tet has fatty pork. The outermost rim of glutinous rice is somewhat greenish yellow, naturally dyed by the leaves wrapping them and the long cooking process, in which they are submerged in water for hours. Banh chung was born in the North of Vietnam over 2000 years before Jesus was born, and especially made for Tet and Tet only. It even has a myth to explain its symbolism. Banh tet was its little brother, made for easy cooking and carrying, more popular in the South, available in one form or another all year long. The rice layer is soft and gummy, the bean paste middle is a little salted and sweetened. It’s vegan, but it doesn’t lack flavor. It’s really really heavy though. One khoanh of banh tet for breakfast and I was full from 10AM until 7PM! I would have been starved otherwise, classes all day, and school cafeterias don’t serve vegan food. That means if you like to keep yourself reasonably full, with 6 bucks you are full for 3-6 days of banh tet, and 4-8 days of banh chung. Pretty good huh?
Exactly what I was looking for, thanks for posting.
1very good put up, i actually love this web site, carry on it
2Wow, superb blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your site is great, as well as the content!
3I’m extremely impressed with your writing abilities as smartly as with the format in your weblog. Is this a paid theme or did you modify it your self? Anyway stay up the excellent quality writing, it’s rare to see a nice blog like this one today..
4I’ve read several good stuff here. Certainly worth bookmarking for revisiting. I surprise how much effort you put to make such a great informative website.
5I discovered your blog site on google and check a few of your early posts. Continue to keep up the very good operate. I just additional up your RSS feed to my MSN News Reader. Seeking forward to reading more from you later on!…
6I am not positive where you are getting your information, however good topic. I needs to spend some time learning much more or understanding more. Thank you for fantastic info I was looking for this information for my mission.
7Keep working ,splendid job!
8Betrupi official giriş platformu ve resmi adresi
9Great post. I was checking constantly this blog and I’m impressed! Extremely useful info particularly the last part 🙂 I care for such information much. I was seeking this particular information for a very long time. Thank you and best of luck.
10You could certainly see your enthusiasm in the paintings you write. The world hopes for even more passionate writers like you who aren’t afraid to say how they believe. All the time go after your heart.
11I’ve recently started a web site, the info you offer on this web site has helped me greatly. Thanks for all of your time & work.
12I do agree with all the ideas you’ve presented in your post. They are really convincing and will definitely work. Still, the posts are very short for beginners. Could you please extend them a little from next time? Thanks for the post.
13I am so happy to read this. This is the kind of manual that needs to be given and not the random misinformation that is at the other blogs. Appreciate your sharing this best doc.
14Hmm it appears like your blog ate my first comment (it was extremely long) so I guess I’ll just sum it up what I had written and say, I’m thoroughly enjoying your blog. I as well am an aspiring blog blogger but I’m still new to everything. Do you have any tips for rookie blog writers? I’d certainly appreciate it.
15The core of your writing whilst sounding reasonable initially, did not really settle properly with me after some time. Somewhere throughout the paragraphs you actually managed to make me a believer but just for a while. I however have got a problem with your leaps in logic and one might do nicely to fill in all those gaps. In the event that you can accomplish that, I would certainly end up being impressed.
16My partner and I absolutely love your blog and find almost all of your post’s to be exactly I’m looking for. Would you offer guest writers to write content in your case? I wouldn’t mind creating a post or elaborating on some of the subjects you write concerning here. Again, awesome website!
17Great post. I am facing a couple of these problems.
18Nice blog right here! Also your site rather a lot up very fast! What host are you the usage of? Can I get your associate link in your host? I wish my web site loaded up as quickly as yours lol
19Thank you for the auspicious writeup. It if truth be told used to be a amusement account it. Glance complex to far introduced agreeable from you! However, how can we keep up a correspondence?
20Some times its a pain in the ass to read what blog owners wrote but this web site is rattling user pleasant! .
21I think this internet site holds some real superb information for everyone :D.
22Excellent post. I was checking continuously this weblog and I’m inspired! Extremely helpful information specially the remaining section 🙂 I care for such info much. I was looking for this particular information for a very long time. Thanks and best of luck.
23My brother recommended I would possibly like this website. He used to be totally right. This submit truly made my day. You can not consider just how a lot time I had spent for this information! Thanks!
24WONDERFUL Post.thanks for share..more wait .. …
25I was recommended this blog by my cousin. I’m not sure whether this post is written by him as nobody else know such detailed about my trouble. You’re wonderful! Thanks!
26Youre so cool! I dont suppose Ive read something like this before. So good to search out any individual with some unique ideas on this subject. realy thanks for starting this up. this website is something that is needed on the web, somebody with a bit of originality. helpful job for bringing something new to the internet!
27We are a group of volunteers and opening a new scheme in our community. Your web site offered us with valuable info to work on. You have done a formidable job and our whole community will be thankful to you.
28Hello there! This is kind of off topic but I need some guidance from an established blog. Is it hard to set up your own blog? I’m not very techincal but I can figure things out pretty fast. I’m thinking about creating my own but I’m not sure where to start. Do you have any tips or suggestions? Appreciate it
29you are really a good webmaster. The website loading speed is incredible. It seems that you’re doing any unique trick. In addition, The contents are masterwork. you have done a excellent job on this topic!
30I am really inspired together with your writing talents as well as with the layout in your blog. Is that this a paid subject matter or did you customize it yourself? Either way keep up the excellent quality writing, it is rare to look a great blog like this one these days..
31I like the valuable info you supply for your articles. I’ll bookmark your blog and test once more right here regularly. I am relatively sure I will learn many new stuff proper right here! Good luck for the next!
32Awesome blog! Do you have any suggestions for aspiring writers? I’m planning to start my own website soon but I’m a little lost on everything. Would you propose starting with a free platform like WordPress or go for a paid option? There are so many choices out there that I’m totally confused .. Any recommendations? Thanks a lot!
33You really make it seem really easy with your presentation however I find this topic to be really something which I believe I’d by no means understand. It kind of feels too complicated and extremely extensive for me. I am taking a look ahead for your subsequent post, I’ll attempt to get the hold of it!
34Some genuinely interesting details you have written.Aided me a lot, just what I was searching for :D.
35Hi my friend! I want to say that this post is awesome, nice written and include approximately all important infos. I would like to see more posts like this.
36certainly like your web-site but you have to check the spelling on several of your posts. Several of them are rife with spelling problems and I find it very troublesome to tell the truth nevertheless I will surely come back again.
37Excellent read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing some research on that. And he actually bought me lunch since I found it for him smile Therefore let me rephrase that: Thank you for lunch! “The capacity to care is what gives life its most deepest significance.” by Pablo Casals.
38I really appreciate this post. I’ve been looking everywhere for this! Thank goodness I found it on Bing. You’ve made my day! Thx again
39Rattling nice pattern and good subject matter, nothing at all else we need :D.
40Very nice post and right to the point. I am not sure if this is actually the best place to ask but do you guys have any thoughts on where to get some professional writers? Thx 🙂
41My brother suggested I might like this web site. He was totally right. This post actually made my day. You can not imagine simply how much time I had spent for this information! Thanks!
42