Why do Westerners eat pancakes for Tet Doan Ngo?

Banh xeo is a typical folk cake of the South, often indispensable in many families on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month – Doan Ngo New Year. On this day, many families in the West often get up early, prepare ingredients, pour pancakes, make a tray to worship grandparents for family reunion.

Exchange with VnExpress, author Nham Hung, 72, a historical researcher in the Southwest region, said this custom has existed for a long time. If on the Lunar New Year, every house has braised meat and banh tet, the Lunar New Year cannot be without pancakes, next to a tray of offerings to grandparents. “This is a unique culinary culture, associated with rituals, family affection and local culinary ingredients,” he shared.

The author explains, there are many reasons for Westerners to eat banh xeo on this occasion, such as banh xeo is a convergence dish, a dish that must be made by many people and eaten by many people, bringing a spirit of cohesion and sharing joy. . Secondly, it is a dish that replaces rice for an entire year, which is both full and delicious and strange. Tuesday, on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month, it started to “rain and storm”, with heavy rain accompanied by thunder and lightning, signaling the rainy season has arrived. At this time, the plants are lush, wild vegetables grow a lot, all kinds of young mango buds, convex sand leaves, leaves, cloves, bud by lentils… are very suitable for eating pancakes.

“Every 5th of May, the children and grandchildren in the family gather, some people go to pick vegetables, some people grind flour to make cakes, some people cut meat, the elderly people have experience pouring pancakes for the whole family, each person has a job. When the pancakes are cooked, they are served on a tray to worship the grandparents, then the whole family gathers together, eats pancakes instead of rice, and enjoys talking while eating,” added the author.

Depending on conditions and preferences, Westerners can make banh xeo with different fillings, simply with minced meat, river shrimp, more specifically, minced Siamese duck meat, seasoning, and stir-fry. This season, some gardeners in Ben Tre take advantage of searching for termite mushrooms to make pancakes to increase the flavor of the dish, otherwise, the price of shallots, cassava roots, cotton buds, coconut tofu … have also been very good. yummy.

Western pancakes are delicious, the crust must be thin, the rim is crispy, not crushed and round, and the filling is spread evenly after being folded in half. There are about 20 different kinds of vegetables such as lettuce, basil, lettuce, broccoli, sand convex, bud, sage, plantain, psyllium, perilla, mango bud, cassava bud, lentil bud, leaf bud. guise… to eat with pancakes. When eating vegetables, add the crust, roll the cake, dip it in sweet and sour fish sauce mixed with sugar, lemon, minced chili, red radish, thinly sliced ​​white radish.

Huynh Nhi