Chung Cake (Banh Chung): A Tasty Dish on Vietnamese Tet (Lunar New Year)

Introduction

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Chung cake is a time-honored traditional cake in Vietnam, crafted from ingredients like glutinous rice, mung beans, pork, and dong leaves (or banana leaves). The cake is created by combining these ingredients, wrapping them in a square shape with Dong leaves, and then boiling them for approximately half a day.

For the Vietnamese, making Chung cake during Tet is a longstanding tradition that dates back centuries. In the final days of the year, family members come together to create these cakes.

Then they stay up through the night near the pot of boiling Chung cake, reminiscing about family memories and sharing stories of the past year. Once the Chung cake is fully cooked, it is placed on the ancestral altar as a gesture of respect and gratitude toward the ancestors.

The origins of Chung cake

The legend recounts that Chung cake has its roots in the time of the Sixth Hung King. It is said that after successfully defeating the An invaders, during the first days of the new year, the King aimed to pass the throne to one of his princes.

To determine the successor, the King gathered his sons and declared that the one who presented a delicious dish with significance to their ancestors would inherit the throne. The princes eagerly sought various rare and precious ingredients to offer their father. Among them, only Prince Lang Lieu, the eighteenth prince, kind and dutiful but without a mother for a long time, was uncertain about his choice.

One night, Lang Lieu dreamt of a deity guiding him: ‘Nothing in the world is as precious as rice grains, the sustenance of human life. Mold rice into round and square shapes, symbolizing Earth and Heaven. Wrap them with leaves and place the filling inside to symbolize the grace of childbirth from parents.’ When Lang Lieu presented the dish to the King, he was delighted to discover the tasty and meaningful Chung cake. Consequently, the King passed the throne to Lang Liêu. The origin of Chung cake and Giay cake can be traced back to this legend.

Ingredients and making process

Key components of Chung cake

The ingredients for making Chung cake are purchased from local markets or supermarkets. To make Chung cake, we need the following ingredients:

How to make Chung cake?

Step 1: Prepare the cake filling and the leaves for wrapping the cake

Wash the Dong leaves thoroughly with water.

Soak glutinous rice and mung beans for about four hours or overnight to ensure that Chung cakes are soft and aromatic.

Step 2: Preliminarily prepare food

Place the glutinous rice in a basket, allow it to drain, and then mix the rice thoroughly with a small amount of salt.

Similarly, we drain water from the green beans after pouring them out and then mix them with salt.

Chop the pork belly into squares and marinate them with salt, sliced shallots, and pepper for a few hours.

Step 3: Wrap the cake

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Arrange 4 or 5 Dong leaves in the mold, then layer the ingredients in sequence, beginning with glutinous rice, followed by mung beans. Place a couple of pork belly pieces in the middle, add another layer of mung beans, and finish with a layer of glutinous rice. Fold the Dong leaves and securely tie the cake using two thin bamboo strips.

Step 4: Boiling Chung cake

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To begin, put the wrapped Chung cake in a pot, add enough water to fully submerge the cakes, and then heat it to boil. The cooking time depends on the size and quantity of the cakes in the pot. Typically, we boil Chung cake for about half a day. As the water in the pot reduces, be sure to add more water to ensure the cakes remain fully immersed.

How the Vietnamese enjoy Chung cake

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Enjoy Chung cake by dipping it in molasses or sugar.

We place molasses or sugar in a bowl, and cut the Chung cake into bite-sized pieces. Take a piece, dip it into the molasses or sugar, and we savor the rich flavor of the Chung cake blending with the sweetness of the dipping sauce.

Eat Chung cake with pickled vegetables.

In Central Vietnam, it’s common for people to enjoy Chung cake with pickled vegetables. The delightful blend of sweet and sour flavors from the pickled vegetables enhances the overall enjoyment of the dish.

Eat Chung cake with pickled small leeks

Pickled small leeks are a traditional Vietnamese dish during Tet, and the perfect combination of Chung cake and pickled small leeks creates a delightful balance that keeps the eater from getting tired of the flavors.

The significance of Chung cake during Tet

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According to an ancient tradition, the square-shaped Chung cake is a symbol representing the Earth. The ingredients for making Chung cake include glutinous rice, mung beans, pork, shallots, pepper, and more, all of which are traditional cooking elements in Vietnamese cuisine passed down for thousands of years.

Therefore, the Chung cake on the Tet carries a significance that expresses gratitude to the heavens and earth for providing favorable weather, resulting in a bountiful harvest and bringing warmth and prosperity to the people’s lives.

Furthermore, during Tet, Chung cake is placed on the ancestral altar as a gesture of respect and gratitude from descendants to their ancestors.

Preparing and cooking Chung cake creates a special moment for family members to gather, reflect on past memories, and reinforce the bonds that bring them together. It offers a significant opportunity for everyone to draw closer and nurture a stronger sense of family connection.

Summary

Chung cake is a traditional and long-standing cake in Vietnam. Vietnamese people have been making Chung cakes during Tet for many centuries.

According to the legend, Chung cake has its origins in the era of the Sixth Hung King.

The ingredients used to make Chung cake are traditional elements in Vietnamese cuisine that have been passed down for thousands of years.

While a Chung cake might appear simple, creating a good one demands a considerable amount of time and effort. The process extends throughout the entire day, with preparations starting the day before.

People in Vietnam like to eat Chung cake with some traditional foods to make it taste even better and have more flavors. This adds more deliciousness and a mix of tastes to the experience.

Chung cake in Tet signifies gratitude for good weather, abundant harvest, and prosperity. Placed on altars as a respectful gesture to ancestors.

Preparing and cooking Chung cake fosters family unity, providing moments for reflection, bonding, and strengthening familial ties.