Banh chung is a traditional Vietnamese cake. Its square shape symbolizes the Earth. It is offered on ancestral altars during the Lunar New Year.

The origin of Banh Chung

Chung cake is a traditional dish known by every Vietnamese person. In the national consciousness, banh chung is the soul of Tet. During the Lunar New Year, families wrap banh chung to offer ancestors.

The origin of banh chung comes from the legend of Prince Lang Lieu. He was the son of the sixth Hung King.

According to legend, after defeating invaders, the country returned to peace. The Hung King wanted to choose a talented son to inherit the throne. He asked his sons to prepare offerings for the ancestral kings. The prince with the most pleasing offering would become the next king.

Banh chung is a traditional dish known by every Vietnamese person.

In response to the king’s request, the princes searched for rare and luxurious delicacies. Only Lang Lieu struggled, as his mother died early and his life was difficult. He did not know how to prepare an offering pleasing to the king.

One night, Lang Lieu dreamed of a god giving him guidance. The god said nothing was more precious than rice. Rice nourishes human life and never becomes tiresome.

Round sticky rice cakes would symbolize Heaven. Square rice cakes wrapped in leaves would symbolize Earth. Delicious fillings inside would represent all living things. These cakes expressed gratitude to parents and ancestors.

After waking, Lang Lieu followed the god’s instructions. He selected fine sticky rice and wrapped it in square shapes. He added pork and mung beans, then boiled it to make chung cake. He also pounded cooked rice into round cakes called banh day. These cakes pleased the Hung King, who chose Lang Lieu as his successor.

The origin of banh chung is closely linked to the legend of Prince Lang Lieu.

From then on, over many centuries, Vietnamese people have preserved this tradition.
Banh chung and banh day are made for the Hung Kings’ Death Anniversary and Lunar New Year offerings.

Banh chung is square, representing the Earth.
Banh day is round, representing the Heaven.

The meaning of Banh Chung during Tet

Beyond the legend of Lang Lieu, this traditional dish holds deep meaning for Vietnamese people. It is made from white sticky rice with mung beans, pork fat, onions, and pepper. The cake is wrapped in banana or dong leaves with a fresh green color. Its square shape is tied with bamboo strings and boiled for many hours. When cooked, the rice becomes fragrant, soft, and beautifully green.

Expressing gratitude to Heaven and Earth

Vietnam has long been rooted in wet rice civilization. Life traditionally depended on nature and agricultural cycles. Banh chung expresses gratitude to Heaven, Earth, and deities. Harmony between nature and spirits brings prosperity and abundance.

Ingredients for making a delicious banh chung

Expressing reverence for ancestors and cherished moments with family

In addition, banh chung carries the devotion of descendants to ancestors and grandparents. A Tet offering tray feels incomplete without chung cake. Families gathering to make and boil cakes overnight creates cherished memories.

Today, children often live far away for study or work. Family time preparing for Tet becomes more precious and meaningful. Beyond food and offerings, banh chung is also a popular gift.
It is often given with sweets or wine to relatives and loved ones.

The whole family gathers together to make banh chung for Tet

Tips for making delicious banh chung for Tet

• Choose fragrant, high-quality sticky rice: Golden flower glutinous rice or new-season rice makes the cake softer. Soak the sticky rice for 10 to 12 hours before wrapping. If wrapping in the morning, soak the rice overnight.
• After draining, mix the rice evenly with salt: Use just enough salt to avoid blandness. Do not add too much salt, or the cake cannot be eaten with honey.

• Choose hulled mung beans, rinse well, and soak for one to two hours before wrapping.

• Banana leaves and dong leaves are commonly used for wrapping chung cake. Banana leaves require a square mold, while dong leaves do not. Dong leaves give the cake a more beautiful green color. Choose large, intact leaves for easier wrapping.

• Use bamboo or rattan strings to tie the cakes. Avoid using plastic strings.

• Pork belly is the best choice for rich and flavorful filling.

• If you are new, YouTube offers many detailed wrapping tutorials.

• Boil chung cake thoroughly for best results: Cooking time is around 10 to 15 hours, depending on cake size.

• After boiling, place the cakes on a flat surface. Press them with a heavy object to improve texture and flavor.

• this traditional dish can be stored at room temperature for two to four days. In colder northern weather, it may last four to six days. For longer storage, keep it in the refrigerator. Reboil or fry before serving.

Delicious dishes made from banh chung

When fully boiled, this traditional dish becomes soft and chewy. It can be eaten directly with honey or fish sauce. A little salt added during wrapping already makes it flavorful.

Fried chung cake is also very popular. Cut the cake into bite-sized pieces before frying. It can be pan-fried in oil or cooked in an air fryer.

Fried banh chung is crispy outside and soft inside, extremely tempting.

Chung cake is made from sticky rice, so eating too much can feel heavy. It may also lead to weight gain. Enjoy this traditional dish  in moderation during Tet. This helps avoid post-holiday weight worries.

The Tet offering tray is never complete without banh chung.