Top Dishes to Prepare for Tết Đoan Ngọ

It’s a common culture for Vietnam to celebrate Tết Đoan Ngọ or Vietnamese Mid-year Festival. At the dawn of May 5th, people eat fermented sticky and fruits and conduct a worship ceremony at noon – as ancestors pray for safety, peace, and a good harvest.

The festival happens on the 11th hour of the day. Aper the Vietnamese language, Đoan means beginning while Ngọ is known for the seventh animal in the zodiac sign – the horse. It extends its belief in eating dumplings to cleanse the body from an unwanted parasite. 

Here are the five most traditional offerings during the Mid-year Festival:

• Fruit Tray – It is an indispensable ritual in any ancestral altar. The offering differs depending on the region’s belief.
• Rượu Nếp (Sweet Fermented Rice Pudding) – A dish believed to incorporate flavorful properties that could kill the body’s parasites and bacteria.
• Tro Cake (Rice cake with herbal ash) – Ancestors believe it is a remedy that treats different kinds of diseases. It is a soft and light type of food best paired with honey or sugar.
• Duck Meat – On the day of the festival, the duck meat helps bring the body to cool down from the forceful yang energy. 
• Chè Trôi Nước (Rice Balls Sweet Soup) – A popular dish made from glutinous rice believed to kill insects.