The story of the origin of two vietnamese traditional cakes, banh chung, square. Banh chung chung cake is a traditional and irreplaceable cake of vietnamese people in the tet holidays and king hungs anniversary. The legend says that after a great victory over his enemies of the shang dynasty in the 17th century bc, the king of the 6th hung dynasty could not decide which of his 18 sons should be his successor. The legend of banh chung chung cake was invented by the 18th prince of hung emperor in the contest of looking for new emperor.
According to the guinness book of world records, in 2002, the small northern town of uoc le, famous for its banh chung, made a 1. Jan 23, 2014 in the book, andrea nguyen makes banh chung which are the square shaped sticky rice cakes but i made banh tet which are the cylinder shaped sticky rice cakes. Its traditionally eaten around tet holiday, vietnams lunar new year, and is known as the dish that brings families together. Learn the story of where this festive food comes from.
Jan 19, 2014 place the mung beans in a pot filled with just enough water to cover. Banh chung square rice cake is a traditional vietnamese rice cake made from glutinous rice, mung bean, pork and other ingredients. Prince lang liu was the one to come up with the idea of bringing the harmony of the earth and the sky in his creative culinary. Banh chung and its history of a respected food in vietnam dating back to 3000 years ago, a spring contest was held in the vietnamese royal tribe to select the new king for the region. It is so simple and also extraordinary, easy making. Robyn eckhardt, a friend and former saigon resident, requested banh chung when we flew from hcmc to. In da nang, you can buy them at 190 tran phu street. The 8th will be come the next king said the king, then he took up banh chung and banh day over his head and added. Vinh chung graduated harvard magna cum laude and attended harvard medical school for his md.
The food has a high level of nutrition with an original tasty flavor and may be kept for a long time. Vietnamese banh tet new year rice cakes are the most prominent culinary icons. The one, however, presented his dad the today wellknown sticky rice cake, in two shapes. The annual event always puts me in the tet spirit and i love that i get to share this tradition with june. According to the book linh nam chich quai extraordinary stories of linh nam published in 1695, the creation of banh chung was credited to lang lieu, a prince of the last sixth hung dynasty of the hung dynasty c. Follow us into the sticky, sweet and sumptuous world of the tet cake. Popular vietnamese history books goodreads share book. The story behind vietnamese sticky rice cake banh chung and. A vietnamese tradition, written in simple language suitable for vietnamese language novice level. Pdf vietnamese banh tet new year rice cakes are the most prominent culinary icons of the most important vietnamese festival. Banh chung is a savory rice cake heavy with history and heavier still with sticky rice. Banh chung is a traditional vietnamese rice cake which is made from glutinous rice, mung. In the legend of banh chung and banh day, a young prince creates two new dishes to offer the ancestors at lunar new year square green and round white rice cakes, banh chung wrapped in green dong leaves is the earth, round banh day is the heaven sky.
With the help of an older reader, young children can take a first look at the world using these appealing social studies books. Vietnamese from the north consume the square banh chung cakes, whereas the central and south vietnamese prefer the round banh tet cakes. Chung studied at the university of sydney as a fulbright scholar and completed a master of pharmaceutical sciences. Rather than just a festive food, banh chung beholds a great meaning behind along with an interesting 3millenium legend. Read the banh chung discussion from the chowhound restaurants, manhattan food community. Chung cake the symbol of vietnamese new year tet holiday. Banh chung another important part of the hung kings story is the invention of banh chung. Its origin is told by the legend of lang lieu, a prince of the last king of the sixth hung dynasty, who became the successor thanks to his creation of banh chung and banh day, which symbolized, respectively, the earth and the sky. Nov 21, 2016 a bilingual vietnameseenglish picture book about the history of vietnamese rice cake banh chung and how it became one of the symbols of tet vietnamese new year. Banh chung is a cake made of sticky rice combined with spices, pork meat, and beans.
The cake implies gratitude of later generations to their forefather and hometown. It is a rounded, convex cake of glutinous or nep rice, which resembles white dough, soft and sticky. For the vietnamese, making banh chung is an ideal way to express gratitude to their ancestors and homeland banh chung was invented by the 18th prince of hung king in the contest of looking for his successor. A friendly text and design present each countrys landscape and describe in easytounderstand language its main ethnic and cultural features. He summoned all of his sons, and told them that whoever could bring him the most precious offering to the altar of the ancestors, thereby showing all their pious feelings for him, the winner wo. They remind us that were part of a shared history and help us come together. Raine banh tet and banh chung are nearly the same banh tets filling is pure pork fat, while banh chung has fat and a smidge of meat. Jan 25, 2009 in areas with a sizable vietnamese community, you can find banh chung around lunar new year. Making banh chung can be a laborious task, one which takes many hours and requires the help of several people.
How to make banh chung vietnamese tet rice cakes viet world. The young and the old share the excitement of tet with their wrapping and boiling banh chung process. With the annual convening of the banh chung collective, chef diep tran. Bean paste is the filling inside the rice cake while small pieces of pork may be added as well. One of the most unique and outstanding dishes of vietnamese cuisine is banh chung or chung cake.
The origin of banh chung can be traced to hong bang dynasty when the 6th hung emperor ruled the land. Banh chung is always considered an essential element of a traditional t. The banh chung were distributed to my siblings the next day and by night, we were all whatsapping each other photos of them panfried for dinner. The origin of banh chung can be traced to hong bang dynasty when the 6th hung emperor ruled the land read vietnam early history. Its origin is told by the legend of lang lieu, a prince of the last king of the sixth hung dynasty, who became the successor thanks to his creation of banh chung and banh gi. Traditions hold important values about our cultures. The story of the origin of two vietnamese traditional cakes, banh chung, square rice cake and banh day.
Story of banh chung and banh day bbj7 retold by an cuong on. Ditto for my food stylist and friend, karen shinto, whom i gift banh chung to. However, when i asked my great aunt if i should fry up the ones she made, she was appalled i guess when its fresh, theres no need to fry. These offerings date back to the ancient times of the eighth generation of the first royal dynasty in the vietnamese history.
The square shape, the fragrance, the glossy green of rice and the sight of yellow mung beans all evoke special memories of tet. This story was documented in a book published in 1695 called linh nam chich quai the extraordinary tales of linh nam. Banh chung banh day the gifts from spirit for vietnam. We all agreed that there was such a depth of flavour in the filling. There is a very interesting story behind banh chung, which everyone in vietnam knows from childhood on. Ngoc minh tran is also a credentialed teacher with bilingual authorization, and an author and illustrator of many children reading books.
How to cook, cut, and eat banh chung tet sticky rice cakes. If youre unfamiliar with tet sticky rice cakes banh chung and banh tet, the musthave food for vietnamese lunar new year celebration, chances are you may be asking, is it an adobe brick or doorstop wrapped in banana leaf. Sadly thinking he was too old to lead the country, hung emperor wanted to find the one to inherit his position and sit on the throne. At viet delis, bakeries and grocery stores, youll find them this week and next displayed on tables. Banh chung and its history of a respected food in vietnam. Ingredients 200 g glutinous rice, soaked overnight, 100 150 g mung beans, soaked overnight, 100 g pork, cut into chunks, seasoned with salt and pepper. Popular vietnamese history books showing 150 of 119 ho chi minh. Banh chung refers to a savory square cake made of sticky rice with mung bean. If youve ever had rice cakes on new year, then youll recognize this storys featured dish.
Ingredients of chung cake include sticky rice, green bean, pork, dong leaves, and other additional spices as salt and pepper. I have been looking at different recipes and it seems like they all said to place banh chung in a large pot and then add water so that it covers all the banh chung and cook it for hours. The story roots back to the time when the king hung vuong vi of the hong bang dynasty, after defeating the chinese invaders decided it is time to choose a successor to this throne. Oct 27, 2014 everyday foods like banh mi and pho reflect this troubled history and the persistent efforts to flourish and express the vietnamese identity. Dec 30, 2019 banh chung is an iconic northern vietnamese cuisine and mostly seen during the lunar new year, while the southern vietnamese edition resembles a little neck pillow. It is the squareshaped rice cake including sticky rice, season pork, and mung bean, wrapped in the banana leaves. This story was documented in a book published in 1695 called linh nam.
Cant get enough of this humble dish with a history. During teto, many of the public institutions in vietnam, shops and restaurants were closed, so i just returned to japan and just returned to hanoi this week. Children bilingual bookspictures booksbilingual picture booksvietnamese. Banh chung chung cake or square rice cake history and legend the origin of banh chung can be traced to hong bang dynasty when the 6th hung emperor ruled the land. Sophie quinnjudge shelved 2 times as vietnamese history avg rating 4. The legend of banh chung and banh day vietnamese artwork.
Eating banh chung with vegetable pickles will bring you unforgettable taste. If youre interested in find out the history of the vietnamese rice cake, move on to the next part legend of banh chung. In the traditional conception of vietnamese people, the process of making banh chung is an opportunity for the familys reunion. With both taste and sentiment, the pauper son succeeded the throne. Join facebook to connect with banh chung and others you may know. Vietnamese, appearing on a wide range of artifacts from history book cov. There are 161 calories in a 1 piece serving of banh chung sticky porkbean rice calorie breakdown. This photo series will take us to the making of banh chung in a remote village of hanoi, where all generations of a family take part in the process. Banh chung is considered the dispensible item for the tet celebration particularly in northern vietnam. The missing years, 19191941 by sophie quinnjudge, the refugees by viet thanh nguyen, the sympathizer. Both banh chung and banh day are said to be first made by lang lieu prince thousands year ago during the hungs dynasty. Banh day is served regularly at festivals and ceremonies. And the rice grain is the most precious thing in the world. According to the legend, 3,0004,000 years ago, prince lang lieu, made round and square cakes, the round day cake symbolizing the sky and the square chung cake symbolizing the earth under the ancient vietnamese perception, to be offered on the occasion of spring.
Centuries later, these dishes are still associated with the new year celebration. Thanhha dao is a tesol certificated language teacher. The vietnamese americans, written by a former vietnamese refugee, is the only indepth resource especially for students and general readers with a solid introduction to vietnam, the history of vietnamese immigration, and a forthright analysis of vietnamese americans struggles to forge a better future. Making banh chung is a two day task and a family effort, but oh, its so worth it. Its the lucky year of the dragon those born between today and february 9, 20.
Jan 27, 2017 want to become a banh chung expert in a day. Vietnamese first came to the united states as refugees in the 1970s, after the vietnam war. Called banh chung, they are a musthave for the lunar new year which falls on thursday, february 19. In these days, even if people have prepared a variety of dishes, tet holiday can not be celebrated without banh chung banh day the square shaped cake and the round cake which are made from rice. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until mashable, about 2030 minutes. We introduce famous food of tet chinese new year, how to. I have reread your recipe in the book multiple times and have. Nowadays many households still cook banh chung in big steam pots overnight 1 or 2 days before new year. If youre unfamiliar with tet sticky rice cakes banh chung and banh tet, the.
With a rich history and delicious taste, its no wonder it has earned a fixed stature in the tables of vietnamese traditions such as tet. A banh chung guide for dummies vnexpress international. Also, i would like to know how many banh chung did you place in the steamer to steam for an hour. The legend of banh chung banh day vietnamese edition. Banh chung the soul of vietnamese new year nhan dan online. King hung vuong vi of the hong bang dynasty couldnt decide which of his 20 sons should assume the throne after his death. Traditionally, the square shape of banh chung represents the earth, associating with deep meanings of the universe. They were not only delicious but also take great meanings.
There is a very interesting story behind banh chung, which everyone in vietnam. It mainly consists of sticky rice, green peas and pork. Chung studied at the university of sydney as a fulbright scholar and. Banh chung banh day the gifts from spirit for vietnam tet holiday is a cultural has kept the traditional values and adapted to modern life. This shopping feature will continue to load items when the enter. Banh chung refers to a savory square cake made of sticky rice with mung. Now, use gao nep glutinous rice to make banh chung, a green and square cake, symbolizing the earth long time ago, people thought the earth was square. However, it is very seasonal, vietnamese mainly eat it during the most important festival of the year. It is a wonderful opportunity for family members to sit around and share the warmth from hot banh chung pots in the chilly winter. Tet holiday all about vietnamese lunar new year 2020. Vietnamese square sticky rice cake banh chung or chung cake is a musthave in the lunar new year celebration of vietnam. However, since im currently trying out a joylentonly diet, ill only be able to eat it after a couple of days. Banh tet are cylindrical forms of banh chung and are more popular in the regions of southern vietnam. Banh chung is also known as sticky rice cakes, a vietnamese traditional dish, and can be served as a snack.
There are many festivals in vietnam right around the year but arguably the most important to the locals is the new year. Keeping a tasty lunar new year tradition alive with the banh. Northern viet people are partial to the square banh chung whereas central. Yet if asked to pick one that best represents vietnamese tradition and history, theres nothing better than banh chung.
Fullcolor photos, simple sidebars, emergentreadinglevel glossary, pronunciation guide, further reading list, and index. Banh chung plays an essential role in vietnam tet holiday. Stacked in neat bricks, sometimes even warm, the sign of a good banh chung is one thats meaty, hefty, and tightly rolled. But its more than just a popular and traditional dish. It will have a filling made of dau xanh mung beans and meat symbolizing plants and animals living on the earth. Banh day is always served at festivals and ceremonies.
They symbolize the earth and the sun and also field where we spend time and effort. Stacked in neat bricks, sometimes even warm, the sign of a good banh chung. Huong dang is a credentialed vietnamese teacher in california, u. Its important to note that these stories are semimythical. The preliminary part covers everything about the vietnamese orthography and pronunciation that learners will enjoy learning. Keeping a tasty lunar new year tradition alive with the. Calories in banh chung sticky porkbean rice and nutrition. Rice cake or banh chung and banh day are two types of delicacies which are very popular with the vietnamese people. I was a on the fence about making vietnamese sticky rice cakes for tet this year. Banh chung is a traditional vietnamese rice cake which is made from glutinous rice, mung beans, pork and other ingredients. Now, use gao nep glutinous rice to make banh chung, a green and square cake, symbolizing the earth.
Despite being made from simple ingredients, this traditional cake tastes wonderful and holds beautiful cultural meaning in it. Banh chung can also be easily bought in many shops before tet. The story of banh chung chung cake and banh day day cake according to legend, king hung wanted to choose one son as a successor to his throne. Feb 05, 2015 most sons went on missions trying to find exotic and exquisite dishes to bring back to their father. Children bilingual bookspictures booksbilingual picture booksvietnamese folk tales.
My lovely friend diep tran has gathered a group to make banh chung for the past six yearscheck out previous festivities from 20, 2015, 2017, and 2018. Photo of the week good things come in small banana leaf. My first book editor, a man whod eaten many fanciful meals, was over the moon when he sampled banh chung. The rice and beans are soaked in water, and then all the ingredients are wrapped together, commonly. An everlasting iconic food in vietnam for tet holiday. Banh chung square rice cake in vietnamese tet vietnam. During this years convening of the banh chung collective, this multigenerational tradition that tran learned from her grandmother has now been passed onto 100 participants. The interesting story behind banh chung vietnam travel blog. This part introduces the vietnamese sound system based on the standard and simple vietnamese, which in the long run, can easily be modified to cope with the speakers awareness of dialectal preference. This years gathering, which was held at alma backyard farms in east compton, was open to the public for the first time. Vietnamese banh chung are a cousin to chinese zongzi joong in cantonese in that they are made of sticky rice, pork and mung beans and wrapped leaves. It was said that in choosing a successor among his sons. Banh chung consists of sticky rice, green peas, and pork. The definitive history of modern vietnam, lauded as groundbreaking guardian and the best onevolume history of modern vietnam in english wall street journal and a finalist for the cundill history prize in vietnam, christopher goscha tells the full history of vietnam, from antiquity to the present day.