Mâm ngũ quả is a traditional custom of Vietnamese people. The five-fruit tray is used to show the filial piety of descendants towards their ancestors and to pray for a new year filled with good luck and prosperity. The fruits displayed on the tray must be the most beautiful, fresh, and delicious.
Watch a clip of how to arrange the five-fruit tray here.
1 How to choose watermelon
How to choose watermelon
Additional reference:
When choosing watermelon for the five-fruit tray, you should choose ripe, delicious watermelons. To select the desired watermelon, observe if the stem is even and if it is slightly depressed, the stalk is small and withered.
A ripe watermelon will have a shiny outer skin and visible stripes running from the stem down to the base, similar to the way a watermelon is divided into multiple segments.
In addition, to select a ripe watermelon with red, sweet flesh, you should choose a watermelon that is round, lift the fruit and feel its weight, it should sound deep and dull when tapped.
2 How to choose oranges and tangerines
How to choose oranges and tangerines
Choose round, evenly shaped oranges and tangerines with shiny and thin skins, without any spots or blemishes. When ripe, the skin should be tinged with yellow and the fruit should feel firm and heavy. Avoid choosing oranges and tangerines with detached stems. For Sanh oranges, do not choose large fruits with rough or partially yellowed skin (due to sunburn), as these fruits will be dry, lacking juice, and not sweet.
Furthermore, there are Chinese oranges on the market with very shiny and sticky skins, dark yellow or blotchy, and uneven coloration, which may be due to the use of chemicals. These oranges will have a distinctive smell when squeezed.
Additional reference:
3 How to choose pomelo
How to choose pomelo
Choose pomelos that are ripe, with beautiful, unscratched and shiny skin, round and symmetrical, and feel heavy when held. Pay special attention to the small bumps on the skin of the pomelo, the bigger the bump, the better the fruit. The segments should be large, juicy, and sweet.
Additional reference:
4 How to choose mangoes
How to choose mangoes
To choose delicious and fragrant mangoes for the five-fruit tray, pay attention to selecting mangoes with smooth, shiny skin and bright yellow color. When ripe, the mango should have a slight fragrance.
Avoid choosing unripe mangoes or mangoes with a shriveled top, as they will be firm and not sweet.
Additional reference:
5 How to choose apples
How to choose apples
Apples should feel heavy when held and have a plump, smooth appearance. However, many housewives do not know that when they go to the market and see perfectly round, shiny apples wrapped in foam nets with small white beads on the outside, they tend to buy them. But these are Chinese apples, which are not tasty and contain chemicals.
Additional reference:
6 How to choose pears
How to choose pears
Pears are the most commonly treated fruit with chemicals because they will last longer that way. If pears are not treated with chemicals, they will become wrinkled and rotten after a few days. Therefore, when you cut one open and smell an unusual odor or find that it is rotten inside, it is certain that the pear has been treated with chemicals and should be discarded immediately.
7 How to choose papayas
How to choose papayas
When choosing papayas for the ancestral altar, you should choose fruits with slightly yellowish tips, small green spots, and slender and long shape. In addition, ripe papayas will have a subtle fragrance and should not feel firm when pressed. Be cautious and avoid papayas with soft spots and irregular finger shapes.
Additional reference:
8 Tips for selecting fruits for the five-fruit tray on Tet
Tips for selecting fruits for the five-fruit tray on Tet
- The fruits on the tray will be displayed for quite a long time, about 5-7 days. Therefore, when purchasing fruits for the tray, you should not choose fully ripe fruits, but rather choose slightly ripe ones. After they turn yellow, the fruits will be ripe. If you buy fully ripe fruits, they will easily become rotten.
- Before placing the fruits on the tray, they should be rinsed and dried to avoid moisture, which can cause them to wither and spoil.
- When choosing fruits for offerings, choose beautiful, fresh fruits without scratches or blemishes, and with stems and leaves.
Above are the fruits commonly used for the five-fruit tray on Tet and how to choose them. I hope this will help you select a fresh, delicious, and beautiful five-fruit tray.
Cooking Confidently: Stir-Frying Watermelon Rind with Mushrooms
Craving something different for your next meal? Then why not give this savory watermelon dish a go? Paired deliciously with rice, this is sure to become a new favorite. Check out the recipe now!
9 Gorgeous Ways to Decorate a Mid-Autumn Festival Table
With the traditional Mid-Autumn Festival comes a long-time beloved activity – breaking the tray! Every year, children look forward to this exciting event, and what makes it even more fun is the brightly-colored, fruit-laden trays that make for an unforgettable childhood memory. If you’re interested in creating your own beautiful Mid-Autumn tray this year, then let us show you some of our favorite decorations!
This Tet, try a new way to carve watermelon – just a gentle tap and seeds pour out!
With just a few knife strokes, you no longer have to worry about eating and spitting out the seeds. This is also a safe way for you to let your child enjoy watermelon without the fear of choking on the seeds.
Struggling to slice watermelon? It’s because you haven’t mastered the art of cutting it yet.
Let’s try cutting watermelon in these 3 ways, and you’ll see how much easier it is.
How to Arrange a Beautiful and Simple Mid-Autumn Festival Fruit Tray
In addition to the ancestral altar, on the Mid-Autumn Festival, there is also a fruit tray for children to play and break. Let’s find out more about the fruit tray on the Mid-Autumn Festival below.
