Food & Receipts

10 must-have delicious dishes from the Western region for the Tet feast.

The Western region is renowned for its unforgettable delicacies such as Tet cake, coconut jam, and more. Discover the authentic flavors of Western traditional Tet dishes that will leave a lasting impression.

Administrator

10 January, 2024

175

On the occasion, in addition to cleaning and decorating the house, people in the Mekong Delta also prepare delicious dishes that cannot be missed. In the festive meal, there will be simple but flavorful dishes. Let’s explore the top 10 delicious dishes of Tet in the Mekong Delta.

1 Braised Pork Belly

During Tet, every household in the Mekong Delta cannot be without braised pork belly. Braised pork belly has many names such as “thịt kho rệu”, “thịt kho tàu”, or “thịt kho nước dừa”. Especially, the flavor in the Mekong Delta will be richer than in other regions due to the skillful seasoning of the mothers and aunts.

Braised Pork Belly

As the name suggests, the main ingredient of this dish is pork belly, eggs, or other supplementary ingredients. A pot of high-quality braised pork belly has tender meat, no bones, and a beautiful color.

Adding coconut water helps create a sweet and refreshing taste. The sight of the braised pork is enticing, and this dish is best enjoyed with steamed rice and pickled vegetables on Tet days.

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2 Tet Sticky Rice Cake

While Northern Vietnam has “bánh chưng,” Southern Vietnam also has its own version of Tet sticky rice cake called “bánh tét.”

The Tet sticky rice cake – a specialty of the Mekong Delta, consists of sticky rice, beans, and many other ingredients such as pork belly, bananas, green beans,… that make the filling slightly fatty, sweet, and flavorful.

Tet Sticky Rice Cake

Nowadays, Tet sticky rice cakes come in many variations such as “bánh tét mỡ” (fatty sticky rice cakes), “bánh tét ngọt” (sweet sticky rice cakes), “bánh tét chay” (vegetarian sticky rice cakes),… but all of them are delicious and visually appealing.

Cutting the sticky rice cakes into bite-sized pieces, the sticky rice is fragrant and the filling is rich. Enjoying them with a cup of tea is incomparable!

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3 Stuffed Bitter Melon with Meat

According to the belief of the older generation, eating bitter melon at the beginning of the year helps ward off bad luck from the past year, bringing a new year full of luck and prosperity. That’s why you will easily find stuffed bitter melon soup on the dining table of every Mekong Delta family during Tet.

Stuffed Bitter Melon with Meat

Fresh bitter melon is cleaned and the pith is removed, then it is stuffed with seasoned ground meat. Finally, it is cooked with bone broth and a touch of fragrant spices.

Taking a bite of the bitter melon with the meat, you will taste the bitterness of the melon mixed with the sweet and fatty taste of the meat. It is also a good soup for health as the bitter taste helps cool down and reduce the greasiness from eating many rich and calorie-packed dishes during Tet.

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4 Chinese Sausage

During Tet, every kitchen in the Mekong Delta will have Chinese sausage. This dish is easy to prepare, easy to eat, and incredibly flavorful.

Chinese Sausage

Chinese sausage comes in many varieties such as fresh Chinese sausage, dried Chinese sausage, liver Chinese sausage, fish Chinese sausage,… to suit the taste of many people.

Famous in the Mekong Delta are the Chinese sausages from provinces like Soc Trang, Long An, An Giang,… if you have the opportunity to visit these provinces during the Tet season, you can buy Chinese sausages as gifts. Chinese sausages can be cooked by frying, grilling, or boiling, making them easy to eat and rich in nutrients.

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5 Coconut Jam

Tet wouldn’t be complete without coconut jam, also known as “mứt dừa”. It’s common to have a box of jam ready to treat guests and engage in conversations.

Coconut Jam

Coconut jam is beloved for its delicious taste and beautiful color. Particularly, the most popular variation is young coconut jam, which is soft, sweet, and well-balanced in flavor. Moreover, it is one of the homemade treats that you can easily make with simple ingredients and ensure food safety.

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6 Dried Shrimp and Pickled Radish

Radish is an incredibly familiar ingredient for Vietnamese people due to its unique aroma and taste. When combined with dried shrimp, it becomes an essential specialty in every household in the Mekong Delta during the Lunar New Year.

Dried Shrimp and Pickled Radish

Fresh radish is cleaned, soaked in ashes to whiten, dried under sunlight, and then pickled. Pickled radish can be eaten with main courses, especially with boiled pork. The slightly sour and crunchy taste of pickled radish combined with dried shrimp creates a harmonious and crispy flavor that is hard to resist.

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7 Nem Lai Vung – Dong Thap Style Spring Rolls

The famous specialty of Dong Thap cannot be overlooked and that is Nem Lai Vung. Its eye-catching pink color, sweet and spicy taste has become a popular flavor during Tet in the Mekong Delta.

Nem Lai Vung – Dong Thap Style Spring Rolls

It is made from main ingredients such as pork, pig skin (bi), and various spices such as garlic, chili,… The filling is wrapped in banana leaves or vong leaves, and the outside is wrapped in a layer of banana leaf. Nem Lai Vung has become an indispensable appetizer on the dining table during Tet in the Mekong Delta for years.

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8 Dried Fruits

Mekong Delta culinary culture is famous for its familiar, rustic, and simple ingredients, and the cooking method is not elaborate and meticulous. One of the delicious dishes for Tet in the Mekong Delta that meets these criteria is dried fruits.

Dried Fruits

During Tet, some types of dried fruits such as dried squid, dried snakeskin gourami, dried snakehead fish, dried shrimp,… are sought after to prepare for Tet meals because they are easy to find and process. Just grilling or frying them, you can make many other delicious dishes such as salads, soups, stir-fries,… in the first few days of the new year.

9 Puffed Banana Jam

The Mekong Delta is famous for many delicious specialties, including puffed banana jam. When visiting during the first few days of the new year, puffed banana jam is one of the must-have products in the homes of Mekong Delta residents.

Puffed Banana Jam

The main ingredient is bananas combined with ginger, pandan leaves, coconut, or sesame. After processing, puffed banana jam has a fragrant and chewy texture, suitable for drinking or enjoying with bread, becoming a popular choice for everyone.

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10 Pickled Mustard Greens

Amidst many rich, fatty, and heavy dishes during Tet, people in the Mekong Delta also use pickled mustard greens as an effective solution to reduce greasiness.

The freshly harvested or purchased mustard greens are washed, slightly blanched in salted water, left whole with the spices, and placed in large jars to ferment.

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Pickled Mustard Greens

After the fermentation process is completed, pickled mustard greens will have a beautiful turmeric yellow color and a sour taste. When served, they can be finely chopped and eaten immediately or mixed with garlic, chili,… for better flavor penetration. Pickled mustard greens served with braised pork belly, sticky rice cakes, soups,… will make the dishes less greasy. This is a favorite dish that cannot be missed during Tet.

For more reference: A collection of 20+ delicious and easy-to-make dishes for entertaining guests

Above is a list of delicious dishes from the Mekong Delta that should not be missed on the Tet table. We hope you will find the dish that suits your taste and treat your loved ones and family during this Tet season!