Top Chef sees changes in Lunar New Year feast

In the industrialisation process, changes have taken place in Tet dishes. Top Chef Dinh Ba Chau shares his opinion.
The feast to worship family ancestors on the last evening of the lunar year is very important to the Vietnamese. The cosy atmosphere of a family, reunited for a New Year’s Eve party has always been their fine tradition. However, this tradition has seen many changes due to the industrialisation process. Top chef Dinh Ba Chau talked about these changes.
You are a top chef in Hanoi with decades of experience. What do you think of the significance of the Lunar New Year feast?
In the past the Lunar New Year feast was prepared by only the women in the family, particularly the mother and grandmother. They were economical and skilled in cooking. On average, a feast consisted of 4 food courses presented on platters and 8 courses in big bowls for 5 to 10 diners. A Tet feast comprises special dishes such as square glutinous rice cake, boiled chicken, pig trotter and dried bamboo shoot soup, chicken and mushroom vermicelli, stewed chicken, lean pork paste, fried pork pie, meat and green rice flake pie, spring rolls and pickled onion. People in coastal areas also made braised mackerel with coconut juice.
In the dexterous hands of women, the dishes looked very attractive in different colours, excluding black. The dishes were well prepared and displayed on a tray. A full dish of red steamed momordica glutinous rice was put in the middle of the tray. Around it, different courses and new and fragrant rice were displayed in round dishes and bowls to show the sincerity of the family to their ancestors, Buddha and Heaven. They prayed for the family and country’s security, good health and prosperity. This is a fine tradition of our people.
Why is the current Tet feast different from that of the past?
In the current industrializing society when people are always busy and in a rush, they are less fastidious about their lunar New Year feast. Young people prefer a hotpot with fish, beef, shrimp and cuttlefish which they keep in the refrigerator before Tet and salad. It is simple and easy to prepare and feed their guests.
Both the Tet concept and behavior have changed. People like going out during the Tet holiday. They spend more time relaxing than preparing the Tet feast. Changes have also been seen in Tet dishes. In the past, a Tet feast consisted of up to 12 courses including boiled, grilled, roasted and fried dishes. Currently, the feast is much simpler. Every dish is available in the market or store. You can buy square glutinous rice cake, cooked glutinous rice, plucked chickens and steeped dried bamboo shoots. In the past, most of women stayed home taking care of housework. Currently, they are busy with their paid jobs and don’t have much time to cook.
How can simple Tet dishes show our respect to our ancestors?
I think the changes in Tet dishes do not deny traditional values. For the Hanoi people, the New Year Eve’s feast still combines Vietnamese flavours, colours and the reuniting of family.
However, the main dishes I mentioned are still an indispensable part of the meal.
My family does not prepare so many dishes for the Tet feast, but just enough for worshipping our ancestors on New Year’s Eve, New Year’s Day and the 3rd day of lunar January.