Bánh chưng

The main ingredients of this traditional Vietnamese rice cake are glutinous rice, mung beans, fatty pork and spices such as salt, pepper, green onions and nước mắm (fish sauce). The pork is seasoned, tucked into the rice and bean paste, wrapped in lá dong (a leafy plant), giang strings (a type of bamboo) or banana leaves, and then boiled. Sometimes, in order to give the resulting wrap a better shape, square wooden molds are used. Bánh chưng has a valuable cultural and historical meaning. Served for tết, the Vietnamese New Year, it is said to have been created by a Vietnamese prince, Lang Liêu, along with bánh giầy. The two dishes symbolized the Earth and the sky and were made as a sign of respect for the ancestors. Nowadays bánh chưng is still placed in family altars as an honorary token for the ancestors. As for the way it is enjoyed, the cake is unwrapped from the leaves and can be served at room temperature or warm.