A kumquat tree full of fruits is one of the most iconic Vietnamese New Year home decorations. The fruits are bright and abundant, symbolizing the fertility and longevity that the family hopes for. The overall kumquat tree symbolized many generations: ripe fruits as grandparents, flowers as parents, buds as children, and light green leaves as grandchildren.
In the early 1500s, the Spaniard explorers brought pineapples to the Philippines and the Peninsular Malaysia. The fruit spread quickly to Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia – where most international pineapple canning factories were. Pineapples used to be less prevalent in Vietnam compared to its bordering countries, but it’s not the case now.
Nearly every Vietnamese child has the memory of grandma whipping up a pot of congee. Because congee has basic properties and carb-heavy, it makes a great dish to eat when you’re sick. This is equivalent to the American Chicken Noodle Soup for Vietnamese people.
During the 19th century, the French controlled two large port cities – Saigon of Vietnam and Pondicherry in India. Raw spice ingredients flowing across these ports introduced Vietnam to a world of spices they its people never seen in its cooking before.
Vietnamese perilla is often used raw for salads, soups, or garnish for stir-fried and noodle dishes. Traditionally, perilla leave is used for our traditional medicine due to its antioxidant, antiallergic, anti-inflammatory, and tumor-preventing properties. Sounds like it pairs well with alcohol!
This traditional Vietnamese dish is popularly enjoyed during the lunar new year. When I was small, my grandma stewed this dish in a large clay pot for the whole family to eat over the course of three days.
