The Perfect Altar for the Gods: A Simple Yet Beautiful Offering for the Kitchen Gods

On the 23rd day of the twelfth lunar month, Vietnamese families celebrate the traditional festival of Tet Ong Tao, or the Kitchen God Festival. This involves preparing a feast to send off the Kitchen God to heaven and express their wishes for the coming year. If you’re short on time but still want to present a thoughtful and complete offering, this guide is for you.

1Poached Chicken with a Rose

Poached chicken is a must-have dish for this occasion. By including a rose in the presentation, the host expresses their respect for the Kitchen God and their hopes for a prosperous new year.

Step 1: Choose young roosters with fresh, red cockscombs, yellow legs, and full breasts, or free-range chickens for firmer, more golden meat after cooking. Clean and prepare the chicken by folding its legs back and tying them together with string to form a “fairy wing” shape. Then, tilt the chicken’s neck back and cross its wings, securing them with a small piece of string.

Step 2: Boil a pot of water and place the chicken inside. Once the water reaches a rolling boil, reduce the heat to low. Cooking the chicken in vigorously boiling water may cause the thigh meat to contract.

Boil the chicken for about 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and continue cooking for another 5 minutes before turning off the heat. Cover the pot and let it sit for about 20 minutes.

Step 3: Place the chicken in a bowl of cold water with ice to cool it down quickly. The colder the water, the tauter, crispier, and shinier the chicken skin will be.

Step 4: Once the chicken is completely cool, remove it from the water and let it air dry. If you prefer a more golden skin, brush the chicken with a mixture of chicken fat and food coloring.

Step 5: When presenting the chicken on a plate, position it with its head facing upward and decorate it with a rose.

For more details, refer to this article:  […]

2Pork and Bamboo Shoot Soup

This soup is a familiar dish during the Lunar New Year celebrations. Its inclusion in the feast will make your offering to the Kitchen God more abundant and complete.

Instructions:

Step 1: Wash the fresh bamboo shoots and soak them in salted water to reduce their bitterness. Boil the bamboo shoots for 5 minutes, then remove them and plunge them into cold water. Cut the bamboo shoots into bite-sized pieces.

Step 2: Clean the pork hock and rinse it with salted water. Blanch the pork in boiling water, then marinate it with fish sauce and ground black pepper for about 10-15 minutes to allow the flavors to penetrate the meat.

Step 3: In a pot, sauté the marinated pork with fried shallots. Once the meat is sealed and slightly browned, add water and bring it to a boil. Simmer the pork until tender, then add the bamboo shoots and continue cooking for 10-15 minutes. Season with salt, seasoning powder, and mushroom seasoning to taste.

Step 4: Ladle the soup into a ceremonial bowl and garnish with chopped scallions and coriander.

For more details, refer to this article:  […]

3Stir-fried Vegetables with Meat (No Garlic)

Stir-fried vegetables with meat is a simple yet colorful addition to your Kitchen God offering. As this is a ceremonial dish, remember to omit garlic when preparing it.

Instructions:

Step 1: Wash and cut the water spinach into short sections. Finely chop the ginger and chili. Cut the pork into thin strips and place them in a bowl. Add pepper, soy sauce, and cornstarch to the pork and mix well.

Step 2: Heat oil in a wok and stir-fry the marinated pork until it changes color. Remove the pork from the wok and set it aside.

Step 3: In the same wok, stir-fry the shallots, chili, and ginger until fragrant. Add the water spinach and quickly toss it until it wilts. Return the stir-fried pork to the wok and mix well. Season to taste.

Step 4: Transfer the dish to a serving plate and sprinkle with pepper for a more appealing presentation.

For more details, refer to this article:  […]

• Sticky rice or square glutinous rice cakes
• Pork pie
• A bowl of sweet soup
• A plate of salted rice
• A plate of fresh fruit
• Betel and areca nuts
• Herbal tea and alcohol
• A flower arrangement
• A set of ceremonial hat and robe, incense, candles, and other offerings

The above suggestions for a simple yet thoughtful and respectful offering to the Kitchen God. While a more extravagant feast is preferable, the most important aspect is the sincerity of the host.

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