Banh Chung

Tet holiday (Vietnam Lunar New Year) is the biggest traditional holiday celebrated in Vietnam, and one of the most important thing can not lack of is "BANH CHUNG". Vietnamese made Banh Chung to serve their forefather in this occasion in order to thanks for the ancestor give their food and good things.

BANH CHUNG is a kind of special cake which is a bit heavy, square and green outside. It is wrapped by banana leaves and made from sticky rice, green bean, bacon, these thing of which have meanings. Square was the concept about the sky in the old days. Rice which is the food given by god is the most valuable product, according to Vietnamese. Small bacon is surrounded by a thick layer of green bean in the middle of the cake, and that image represents for the concept that Vietnamese is protected by their ancestor. That is the custom in Vietnam has lasted year ago, since The Sixth King. To Vietnamese people, Banh Chung has a big meaning. Therefore, Tet will be never complete without BANHCHUNG

It is used with fish souse, onion, garlic and some vegetable which taste sour. The drink that Vietnamese use with is hot green tea or rice wine.

How to make it? It requires a careful and long process in preparing and cooking. It is cooked around 8-12 hours. Here are the steps to make BANH CHUNG.

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
• 1/2 teaspoon salt




Directions


1. You will also need: Strings and 6 phrynium leaves or aluminum foil can be used as substitute.

2. Steam or boil green bean with half a tsp of salt until soft, may take up to 45 minutes depending on how large your steamer is. Smash bean thoroughly.

3. Place 2 leaves in one direction, slightly overlapping, then 2 perpendicular, also overlapping, and the last layer like the first.

4. If use aluminum foil, place them crossing each other.

5. Place half of the rice on the leaves, topped with half of the beans.

6. Lay the pork on top of the beans, and then add the last of the beans followed by last of the rice.

7. Fold the leaves/foils over the cake very tightly into a square, use string to secure the cake.

8. Place in a large pot, cover with water and boil for about 6 hours.

9. Add water every hour if necessary.

10. After 6 hours or so, remove the cake, submerge it into cold water for a few minutes. '

11. The cake lasts up to 10 days on a cool dry place.

12. The easiest way to cut up the cake is to open it and use the string to cut it up into 8 portions.

13. Best served with pickled onions.