As Tet is approaching, many facilities making ‘banh chung’ (square glutinous rice cakes) and ‘banh tet’ (cylindrical glutinous rice cake) across Da Nang are hastily producing the festive delicacy for upcoming much-awaited holiday.

On the 24^th day of the last lunar month, traditional Vietnamese cake makers have been busy cleaning ‘la chuoi’ (banana leaves), putting the leaves into cake molds, and soaking sticky rice and green beans in preparation for the wrapping of ‘banh chung’ and ‘banh tet’.

In an effort to meet the needs of customers over the upcoming Tet holiday, the 'banh chung' and 'banh tet' making facility, owned by Mrs. Le Thi Bich Lieu’, at K104/28 Le Dinh Ly, Thanh Khe District, opens from 4:00 a.m. to midnight every day.

This is the 14^th consecutive year that Mrs. Lieu's traditional Tet cake making establishment has made time-honoured traditional delicacies for Tet sales. Till date, her facility has received hundreds of orders, equivalent to a combined total of more than 3,000 ‘banh chung’ and ‘banh tet’.

Currently, ‘banh chung’ cakes are on sale at the prices of between VND50,000 and VND70,000 per item.

Meanwhile, ‘banh tet’ cakes are being sold at the prices of VND60,000 - VND80,000 per item.

According to Mrs. Lieu, she and her workers will be able to wrap about 800 ‘banh chung’ and ‘banh tet’ per day. After being wrapped, ‘banh tet’ are placed on the bottom of the large-sized pot and ‘banh chung’ on top for cooking. The stages of fire watch and water filling are also very important. Normally, you need to watch the pot for 12 hours before taking the cakes out.

As noted at K91 Hoang Hoa Tham, the smell of kitchen smoke from the cooking pots of ‘banh chung’ and ‘banh tet’ cakes spreads from the beginning to the end of the alley. This place has about 3 traditional Tet cake making facilities, but the ‘Ba Lau’ facility at K91/21 Hoang Hoa Tham is the place that produces the most.

This facility has employed 20 experienced labourers, together making 2,000 ‘banh chung’ and ‘banh tet’ per day.

Ms. Doan Thi Chin, owner of the Ba Lau facility, said that her facility has received orders of about 10,000 - 12,000 cakes, so since the 23^rd day of the 12^th lunar month, her facility has been busy making ‘banh chung’ and ‘banh tet’ for Tet sales.

In order for the cake to be delicious, sticky rice and green beans must be soaked and rubbed well before being packaged.

‘La chuoi’ (banana leaves) are washed in preparation for making ‘ banh chung’

During the curing process of green beans, the worker must stir well to ensure that slimy green beans are not to be too sticky.

Green beans are prepared for 'banh chung'

After being wrapped, ‘banh tet’ are placed on the bottom of the large-sized pot and ‘banh chung’ on top for cooking within 12-13 hours.

To prevent the banana leaf from coming apart during cooking, 'Banh tet' cakes are usually wrapped again several times with a length of plastic ribbon before steaming.

The prices of 15x15 cm ‘banh chung’ ranges from VND60,000 - VND110,000 per item, whilst ‘banh tet’ are on sale at the cost of VND60,000 - VND100,000 per item weighing about 1.2 kg.

In these days leading to the Lunar New Year (Tet) festival, the 'banh chung' and 'banh tet' making facility, owned by Mrs. Le Thi Bich Lieu’ is hastily producing the festive delicacy for upcoming much-waited occasion.

Reporting by MAI QUE, VAN HOANG – Translating by M.DUNG