Happy Vietnamese New Year!

Vietnamese Food for Tet

Tet Nguyen Dan or Tet as it is commonly called in Vietnam, is the most popular and significant holiday in the Vietnamese culture. Tet is the Vietnamese New Year and is a special time for family and friends to gather. The old year is ushered out, good luck for the new year is wished for all and respect for one’s ancestors are all essential elements of this important holiday.

While Tet generally lasts from several days to several weeks, each day represents something significant. But, one thing is for certain, regardless of how you celebrate the holiday, great food is always abundant. We don’t usually do much for Tet now that the kids are getting a bit older, but we always enjoy an opportunity to sit down with some incredible Vietnamese food.

This year, in celebration of the New Year, we enjoyed an incredible Vietnamese feast with traditional Phở Gà (an amazing chicken soup with rice noodles, onions and herbs, not to be confused with the American version of Chicken Noodle Soup), egg rolls, chargrilled chicken and shrimp, noodles, dipping sauces and a delicious sticky rice with coconut milk for dessert. Of course, at the end of a great meal, a wonderful cup of Vietnamese coffee is always a welcome treat. I sometimes drink mine hot, but generally prefer it over ice. However you like yours, be sure to give it a try!

Happy Vietnamese New Year

 When making sticky rice be sure to purchase glutinous or sweet rice.

 Vietnamese coffee is made from a strong drip coffee with the addition of sweetened condensed milk. Yum!

Vietnamese cooking might seem complex, but it’s really a matter of getting your ingredients organized and prepped. Try a couple of our recipes and I promise, you’re going to be hooked! Be sure to include the dipping sauces, herbs and other condiments, it’s what makes Vietnamese food so incredibly delicious. Enjoy!

Debbie