Spices in Tet dishes

Vietnamese cuisine is renowned for its sophistication and diversity, reflected in the unique cooking methods of each region. Beyond ingredients, spices play an essential role in creating these distinctive flavors. Each dish is traditionally paired with specific spices that enhance its taste and aroma. The skillful use of spices is an art, elevating flavors, stimulating the taste buds, and aiding digestion. Knowing how to use them appropriately is a mark of a talented cook—especially when preparing meals for the ancestral altar and Tet celebrations.

Farmers in Tu Xa Commune, Lam Thao District, cultivate onions and garlic to meet market demand for the traditional Tet holiday.

In daily meals, missing one or two spices may not be a problem, but for the Tet feast, a skilled housewife ensures that every essential spice—onions, ginger, garlic, chili, pepper, and various herbs—is present. The pungency of pepper, chili, garlic, and ginger enhances the dish’s appeal, while the green of vegetables, the red of chili, and the golden hues of intricately carved carrots bring vibrancy to the table.

The aroma of each dish must be distinct, allowing diners to recognize it at first scent. The Tet feast is a harmonious blend of nature’s finest offerings—from carefully harvested rice and sticky rice to aromatic herbs grown in home gardens and shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, and dried bamboo shoots brought from distant forests to city markets. When savoring these dishes, one truly experiences the blessings of the homeland. Each dish is meticulously prepared to achieve its ideal balance—spicy when it needs to be, rich when it should be.

A variety of fresh vegetables and spices are sold at a Tet market in the countryside.

Tet Nguyen Dan falls in the cold season, a time when warming spices such as ginger, chili, pepper, onion, and garlic are indispensable. A skilled housewife carefully selects and balances these spices to enhance each dish while catering to the family’s collective taste. In contrast, a less meticulous cook might dismiss the absence of one or two spices as unimportant—reasoning that since it’s just family, there’s no need to be overly precise. However, even minor omissions can diminish the dish’s full flavor.

Concern over seemingly small details like spices is well-founded. Spices engage all five senses, transforming a dish from mere sustenance into a culinary masterpiece—a reflection of the cook’s skill and care. The right balance of pungency and heat enhances the dish’s appeal, while vibrant green, red, and yellow hues add visual charm. The distinct aromas of each dish invite diners to savor not just a meal, but the blessings of nature and tradition, as they bid farewell to the old year and welcome the new one.

Spices contribute to making the Tet tray more beautiful and delicious.

Spices used in daily meals not only enhance the flavor, appearance, and deliciousness of dishes but also serve as valuable natural remedies. They help balance rich, fatty foods like meat and bánh chưng, making meals more enjoyable and promoting better health.

In the past, when resources were limited, housewives had to start gathering and preserving spices months in advance to ensure they had enough for the Tet tray. Tet preparations today are much simpler. On the morning of the 30th, a quick trip to the supermarket and the flower market is all it takes to prepare for Tet. With everything readily available, the key for housewives is simply to remember everything—especially spices. After all, without spices, "fate lacks its passionate fire."

Phan Cuong