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Every time Tet comes and Spring returns, it seems that we all remember the couplet “Fatty meat, pickled onions, red couplets/ Neu tree, firecrackers, green Banh Chung”. Do you know that it is the delicate, harmonious combination of sour, tangy flavors and fatty richness that makes Banh Chung even more attractive?.
Up to now, “Neu trees” and “red couplets” seem to be no longer popular, “firecrackers” have long been banned, but “fatty meat, pickled onions, green Banh Chung” will surely be passed down forever and are indispensable on the ancestral altar tray of every Vietnamese family.
But have you ever wondered why Northerners often eat Banh Chung with pickled onions, while Banh Tet is served with pickled scallion heads (in the South) and pickled vegetables (in the Central region)? The article below will reveal the answer to you.
When mentioning Banh Chung and Banh Tet, we immediately remember their delicious taste. Sticky rice, pork, mung beans, salt and pepper... are wrapped in green dong leaves and boiled until soft, then pressed tightly to create a unique flavor.
However, according to medical experts, Banh Chung and Banh Tet are energy-rich foods – full of carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals.
A slice of cake (1/8 of a cake) has a nutritional value equivalent to eating a full bowl of rice with side dishes. Although energy-rich, this type of cake lacks fiber.
Vietnamese cuisine always values harmony and balance in flavor, so accompanying the richness and fattiness of Banh Chung and fatty meat... the tangy, cool, sour pickled onions, pickled scallion heads, or pickled vegetables are indispensable.
Moreover, these types of food also help supplement fiber for the body. Besides, the mild sour, slightly spicy, and fragrant taste of pickled onions and pickled scallion heads will help enhance the flavor of other dishes, especially stimulating digestion when you eat foods high in protein, lipids, and fat... like Banh Chung and Banh Tet.
However, experts also advise that you should not eat too many Banh Chung/Banh Tet with pickled onions/pickled scallion heads because the amount of protein and salt in these two types of food can be harmful to your health, such as increasing gastric acid secretion, easily causing bloating, heartburn, and indigestion...
Too high levels of nutrition, protein, fat, or salt in the body will also negatively affect the cardiovascular system... Therefore, during the Tet holidays, you should eat more fiber-rich foods and limit intake of fatty, sugary foods to keep your body healthy and enjoy the Tet holiday.
(Collected)
