Lunar New Year Menu

First off, let me iterate how equally important Tết (Vietnamese Lunar New Year) and Spring Festival (Chinese Lunar New Year) is. If they seem similar, it’s because they are both based on the same holiday and calendar.

[Note: There is a lot of Chinese tradition embedded in Vietnam because the Vietnamese were under the rule of various Chinese dynasties, for over 1000 years.]

And similar to the Chinese Lunar New Year Calendar, the Vietnamese Tết tradition does not celebrate birthdays or birth months. Instead, birth-years are celebrated during Tết. During the week of Tết, it becomes a week-long “birthday celebration” for everyone. As a result, it’s a custom to not work or cook during this week; as it's customary to party all week long.

Naturally, the generations-old Vietnamese/Chinese preparations that kept well from being spoiled have evolved to be Tết’s staple dishes. In this collection, I've carefully mapped out how our family favorites.