Bánh Ú Tro Wraps the Childhood Joy of Tết Đoan Ngọ Within Its Green Leaves

Vietnam's traditional festivals have always been closely associated with special dishes. Lunar New Year brings bánh chưng and bánh tét, while Trung Thu is marked by moon cakes and bánh pía. For Tết Đoan Ngọ, people eat bánh bá trạng and bánh ú tro to taste the festivity. This article delves into the Tết Đoan Ngọ festival and its iconic treat, bánh ú tro.

Tết Đoan Ngọ falls on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month, marking the midpoint of the lunar calendar. It is observed not only in Vietnam but also in many East Asian nations such as China, Japan, and both Koreas. Each celebrates with different customs, but most involve warding off bad luck and wishing for health and bountiful harvests. In Vietnam, the festival's roots lie in ancient agrarian life. As researcher Trần Ngọc Thêm explains in "Tìm về bản sắc văn hóa Việt Nam," Vietnam lies across the Tropic of Cancer, making summers sweltering and unhealthy. Farmers monitored weather to minimize harm, leading to Tết Đoan Ngọ traditions.

Some Vietnamese call Tết Đoan Ngọ the "Pest Removal Festival." During lunar May, hot and rainy weather promotes bugs and weakens immunity. To "remove pests," families set up altar offerings at midday on the fifth day, seeking successful harvests, good health, and peace. Other customs include picking medicinal herbs, bathing in leaf water, and applying lime water to children for deworming.

Each region in Vietnam has slightly different offering platters based on local beliefs and produce. Northern platters include red watermelon, central platters from Thanh Hóa to Huế feature duck meat, and those in the Quảng area offer sticky rice, chè, and bánh ú tro. In the south, chè trôi nước and xôi gấc are common. Across this diverse range, bánh ú tro is a rare delicacy found throughout Vietnam.

Bánh ú tro is made from glutinous rice wrapped in green leaves. Despite its name, the dumpling is fist-sized. The rice is soaked in ash water for 24 hours, which partially hydrolyzes the starch, making it transparent and jelly-like when cooked. This process aids digestion. In northern Vietnam, it is called bánh gio and served with molasses. In central Vietnam, it is shaped like pyramids and sold in bundles. In the south, it is known as bánh ú lá tre, with diverse fillings like mung bean, durian, or coconut. The preparation is labor-intensive, starting months before the festival, with many craft villages famous for their bánh ú tro.