Wrapping banh chung for Tet: A gentle nostalgia for homeland
WVR - In the past decade, the tradition of personally wrapping banh chung for Tet has become popular among the Vietnamese community in Central Europe. Not only does it revive memories of the homeland, but it also offers the younger generation growing up in Europe a glimpse into their parents' homeland and traditional customs that may have become unfamiliar.
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We visited the home of Mr. Manh Dung and Ms. Phuong Thao in Budapest, Hungary, on the 27th day of Tet. Both are former students who have spent 30–40 years studying, living, and working there.
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| The tradition of wrapping banh chung has been maintained for many years by a group of Vietnamese students in Hungary. (Photo: Nguyen Hoang Linh) |
At the end of the year, they organize banh chung wrapping with families from the 1985–1991 cohort, a tradition maintained for many years by Vietnamese students in Hungary.
Families bring along children of various ages. The kids chatter away in Hungarian, quickly engaging in familiar games. But when the adults start laying out leaves and preparing the filling, the children eagerly join in.
Wrapping Banh Chung is not too difficult, especially with the help of wooden molds. After a few tries, many children can complete their first banh chung. The preparation process is just as fascinating as the wrapping. From sourcing dong leaves, meat, and mung beans to adjusting the spices, everything is meticulously calculated.
Mr. Manh Dung shared that due to the favorable exchange rate of the Hungarian Forint against the Euro this year, the cost of wrapping banh chung is lower than in previous years.
Reviewing past Tet expenses, indeed, the costs are "softer" this year. While wrapping banh chung, lively conversations cover a range of topics from domestic and international news to business, community life, health, and medicine, as everyone has reached middle age.
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| The green banh chung quietly and persistently carries a piece of the homeland. (Photo: Nguyen Hoang Linh) |
Memories of student days are also recalled, with times of scarcity but full of enthusiasm. Compared to many years ago, when dong leaves or binding strings were rare and expensive, wrapping banh chung is now much easier. No longer needing to economize every string and leaf, families are well-prepared.
Someone joked that the wooden mold is a "revolution" in banh chung wrapping, allowing anyone to make a perfectly square cake. In the past, not everyone in the homeland had the chance to wrap bánh chưng themselves.
Most only helped with small tasks as assigned by adults. In families, only a few could wrap "steady-handed" bánh chưng to place on the ancestral altar. Recalling the past, many cannot help but remember their late grandparents and parents.
In just a few hours, over 50 banh chung were completed, ready for the 10–12 hour cooking process to achieve the desired texture and avoid undercooked rice. While waiting, the kitchen remains busy with traditional dishes like pho, bun, spring rolls, and salads. The dinner becomes a warm "early New Year's Eve".
After more than 10 hours, the first batch is taken out, pressed, and left to cool. Though no one is truly hungry, everyone is eager to see the results. The "ugliest" banh chung made by a young child is opened first. It may not be perfectly square, but when cut, the filling is soft, the mung beans smooth, and the meat well-seasoned. More importantly, it was made by the child's own hands.
Mr. Son Ha, who has been in Hungary for 41 years, recalls Tet seasons over half a century ago in his homeland. Back then, he did not have the chance to wrap bánh chưng himself.
Later, when studying abroad, every time he returned home for Tet, he would stay up all night with his family preparing and cooking banh chung. "Everything is different now," he said, his voice lowering. The memories remain, but circumstances, people, and spaces have changed.
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| After a few tries, many children can complete their first Banh Chung. (Photo: Nguyen Hoang Linh) |
After rare severe snowstorms in recent years, Hungary's weather near Tet has become unusually warm. The sun shines, and the sky is clear blue. Amid Budapest's warm sunlight, the green banh chung quietly and persistently carries a piece of the homeland.
In a foreign land, these banh chung are not just for consumption during the first days of the new year. They are a way for overseas Vietnamese to preserve memories, pass on traditions, and remind each other that no matter how far they go, Tet can still return in a small kitchen, beside a steaming pot of banh chung.
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