Tết Day is coming soon, and if you are still wondering what regional dish to prepare for your family meal, then check out this article right away. Because today, the Cooking Tips section of Điện máy XANH will introduce you to 6 Southern Tet meal trays with simple methods but the results are super delicious!
1 Southern Tet Meal Menu 1
Main Dish: Braised Pork and Pork Sausage
During Tet, in the South, there are familiar dishes that we always look forward to using only on this special day with family, which are braised pork and pork sausage.
Throughout the Tet holiday, braised pork and pork sausage are always displayed on the dining table; the delicious flavor of braised pork served with hot rice or wrapped in rice paper with a piece of pork sausage is simply wonderful.
Stir-fried Dish: Stir-fried Vegetables
On the Tet dining table in the South, besides the main dishes or soups, there will also be a plate of stir-fried vegetables to balance the taste and provide vitamins; you can use various types of your favorite vegetables for this dish.
With a few simple steps, you can have a plate of colorful stir-fried vegetables with an enticing aroma, and the vegetables are stir-fried just right to retain their freshness. This dish is light, low in starch and fat, but still ensures adequate nutrition for the body.
Side Dish: Dried Shrimp with Pickled Onion
The side dish that always appears on the Tet dining table is dried shrimp with pickled onion, an easy-to-make side dish that helps make your family meal complete and abundant.
This dish must be served with salted duck eggs and hot rice to create a quite wonderful flavor, where the nutty smell of the eggs combines with the salty and sour taste of the shrimp soaked with the pickled onion.
Soup: Bitter Melon Soup Stuffed with Meat
Bitter melon soup stuffed with meat is a dish that can be found frequently on the Tet dining tables in the South, as it is believed in folklore that eating bitter melon soup during Tet will help get rid of the hardships from the past year.
Inside the bitter melon, it is often stuffed with meat to make it easier to eat, because bitter melon is quite bitter, but once you eat it, after the bitter taste, there will be a sweet aftertaste, and the meat is fresh and rich in flavor. Eating a lot of bitter melon is very good for your health. Save this recipe right away!
Dessert: Fresh fruit
After a meal, how can you miss a dessert with fresh, cool, and sweet fruits? You can prepare a plate of fruit with various flavors to ensure that it satisfies all family members while also providing many essential vitamins.
2 Southern Tet Menu 2
Main dish: Braised chicken, shrimp and pork spring rolls
During Tet, we often enjoy braised meat and pork sausage, but have you ever changed it up and transformed it while still keeping the ancient flavor but with a modern twist? You should try making braised chicken and shrimp and pork spring rolls.
Instead of using meat and eggs, we can substitute with chicken, ensuring the flavor remains the same, but the aroma is completely new. The shrimp and pork spring rolls are also delicious, with a crispy outer layer and the filling of shrimp and pork seasoned just right, very tasty!
Stir-fried dish: Stir-fried glass noodles with chicken entrails
The dishes served on the Tet table are very diverse and abundant; we can either follow tradition or innovate. When it comes to stir-fried dishes, we can prepare many dishes. Have you ever tried making stir-fried glass noodles with chicken entrails?
Soft and chewy noodles combined with rich chicken broth, dipping it in soy sauce makes it very appetizing. Try the recipe below from Điện máy XANH to show off your skills, and everyone will surely compliment it.
Side dish: Vietnamese Kimchi
Many households often use dried shrimp and pickled shallots as a side dish, but some families can’t eat that dish, yet a Tet meal must include a side dish. No worries, we can replace it with homemade kimchi.
As a homemade specialty, Vietnamese kimchi is a unique side dish, with a sour, spicy, and salty flavor of white radish served with hot rice, making it an absolutely delightful taste.
Soup: Fresh Bamboo Shoot and Pork Leg Soup
Soup is an essential dish in all meals, with many different soups and varying beliefs. The fresh bamboo shoot and pork leg soup is quite delicious and nutritious, suitable for families.
The soup is simmered with pork leg, creating the sweet flavor of the soup combined with the light sourness of bamboo shoots, plus the aroma of green onions, which is unmistakable. This dish should be enjoyed hot for the best taste; letting it cool will reduce the nutritional value of the pork leg!
Dessert: Watermelon
The upcoming Tet holiday coincides with watermelon harvesting season, so choosing watermelon as a dessert is very reasonable; fresh watermelons are sweeter and tastier, without worrying about them being shriveled, stored for too long or spoiled.
Ancient people also believed that the red color of watermelon would bring good luck to the family in the new year. Therefore, choose to buy watermelon from a reputable place to enjoy a complete Tet!
Salty dishes: Grilled spring rolls, sausages, cinnamon pork pie
The Tet meal is very diverse and rich; some people prefer tradition with braised meat or stir-fried vegetables,… But for families who may have already eaten those dishes many times before Tet, they want to change the menu a bit for the Tet meal, such as grilled spring rolls, sausages, and cinnamon pork pie.
It may sound like it has no hint of Tet flavor, but it’s okay because Tet is in our hearts, so changing the dishes is fine, but we will always be the children eagerly awaiting Tet.
All the dishes are made from meat, so they are extremely delicious and have a bit of a fatty taste, whether eaten with hot rice or on their own, they are all tasty; each person’s taste preference allows for a wide selection of favorite dishes.
Stir-fried dish: Mixed fried squid
A stir-fried dish is indispensable in the Tet meal. There are many dishes with different flavors; Điện máy XANH prioritizes choosing mixed fried squid for this meal due to its ease of preparation and readily available ingredients.
The sweet and sour stir-fried flavor of the sauce and the chewy squid along with the mixed vegetables create a harmonious taste when served with a bowl of hot rice. Be sure to save the recipe below to get cooking right away!
Side dish: Pickled mung bean sprouts
Pickled mung bean sprouts are often a favorite side dish for many families; however, store-bought pickled mung bean sprouts do not last long, so you can make them at home using Điện máy XANH’s recipe to ensure they last longer, making sure you have them every day.
Crispy pickled mung bean sprouts, sweet and sour, are usually eaten with hot rice or wrapped with rice paper, fresh vegetables, and boiled meat, all delicious. This dish will help balance your taste buds after eating too many salty dishes!
Soup: Pork Rib Vegetable Soup
In the Southern Tet feast, the pork rib vegetable soup is not strange at all, right? There’s no need for complicated preparation, yet the result is wonderful—why not give it a try?
The ribs are simmered until tender, melting in your mouth, and the broth is flavorful enough to enjoy with various vegetables cooked together, creating a soup that is suitable for both festive and everyday meals.
Dessert: Water Jelly with Landscape Design
Ending a meal with water jelly featuring a landscape design is simply fantastic. The creamy coconut milk blends with the fragrant coffee and pandan leaves, making it delightful for everyone, even the pickiest guests can’t resist.
4 Southern Tet Feast Menu 4
Main Dish: Braised Pork with Eggs, Pork Roll
To diversify and enrich your family’s Tet feast, Dien May XANH will reveal another menu featuring the main dish of braised pork with eggs and pork roll.
The meat is tender and flavorful, combined with the rich eggs; eating it with hot rice is irresistible and will definitely delight the whole family. This dish gets even better when reheated—did you know that?
As for the pork roll, it is chewy, crispy, and firm. The mushrooms and pig’s ears add a crunchy texture, and when you bite into a peppercorn, oh my, the spicy flavor spreads throughout your mouth, incredibly stimulating. This dish will taste even better when served with bread or rice noodles!
Stir-fried Dish: Stir-fried Beef with Onions
Using stir-fried beef with onions as the main stir-fried dish in the Tet menu is a suitable choice. With a simple preparation method and easy recipe, you will have a delicious stir-fry packed with all the ingredients.
The flavor of beef is sweet and fresh, tender and not at all chewy when stir-fried with onions. You can enjoy it with a bowl of hot rice and sip a cold glass of sarsaparilla to make the meal more delicious!
Dish: Bitter Melon Soup with Stuffed Meat
In the past, people often believed that eating bitter melon on Tet would help overcome the bad things of the old year and welcome a new year full of joy and happiness, so bitter melon soup with stuffed meat is considered an indispensable dish on every family’s Tet table.
The soft bitter melon wraps around a filling of sweet meat and fresh mushrooms, and the soup is refreshing, immediately lifting your spirits, true to its name as bitter melon soup. Add it to your family’s meal menu right away!
Side Dish: Pickled Mustard Greens
If your family meal has too many savory dishes, don’t forget to add pickled mustard greens to the menu to balance the flavors, ensuring it adds a delightful touch!
Each crunchy bite of pickled mustard greens is very enjoyable, with a sour and salty taste intertwined with a fragrant hint of purple onion. If you don’t like eating it raw, you can also stir-fry it with meat, which is also very tasty.
Dessert: Fruits
If you’re a bit tired of the sweet dishes above, rest assured that fruits will help refresh you. Choose a few favorite fruits for your family to add to the dessert menu! Don’t forget to keep them in the refrigerator for a few hours to enhance their deliciousness!
5 Southern Tet Meal Menu 5
Sticky Rice Cake
As Tet approaches and spring returns, families are busy wrapping sticky rice cakes to prepare for a more abundant Tet meal. Sticky rice cakes can be made with various fillings, but meat and mung bean remain the most popular choices among many families.
Looking at the green sticky rice cake, “núng na núng nính,” one feels a flutter of excitement. When you take a bite, you will immediately taste the soft, chewy sticky rice combined with the coarse mung bean and rich meat, creating an incredibly unique and harmonious flavor.
Main Dishes: Grilled Pork Rolls, Fried Chicken with Fish Sauce
You can use grilled pork rolls and fried chicken with fish sauce as the main dishes for the Tet meal, replacing traditional dishes, which will make you not feel bored while still enjoying delicious food.
Grilled pork rolls are savory with a slight richness, served with rice noodles, cucumber, and fresh herbs, making it hard to put down the chopsticks. Meanwhile, the fried chicken wings with fish sauce are richer, crispy, and when drizzled with sauce over hot rice, it’s absolutely irresistible.
Stir-Fried Dishes: Stir-Fried Shrimp with Broccoli, Fried Rice Noodles with Pork
Broccoli is a type of vegetable rich in vitamins and fiber, which is very good for health, so choosing stir-fried shrimp with broccoli as the main dish in the Tet meal menu is indeed a smart choice, providing both delicious taste and health benefits.
The green of the broccoli combined with the red of the shrimp creates a visually appealing dish. The fresh, sweet shrimp, evenly seasoned, and the crunchy broccoli harmonize together to create a surprisingly enticing flavor.
In addition, there is one more stir-fried dish that Điện máy XANH wants to introduce to you, which is stir-fried rice noodles with pork. Unlike the previous stir-fried dish, this one includes starch from rice noodles, so there’s no worry about a lack of nutrients. The pork is tender and sweet, eaten with fresh and cool vegetables, very nutritious, isn’t it?
Side dish: Pickled scallions
Pickled scallions are an indispensable side dish in Tet meals, especially for people in the South. This dish is easy to make and can be stored until Tet for use.
Usually, pickled scallions are eaten with dried shrimp and serve as a suitable side dish for all types of food during Tet, especially sticky rice cake, helping you feel less bored while eating.
Soup: Vegetable soup with meatballs
Besides the beloved stuffed bitter melon soup, vegetable soup with meatballs is also favored for its simple preparation and delicious taste, which is not at all complicated.
The vegetables are just cooked, soft yet retain their natural sweetness, complemented by flavorful meatballs that are perfectly sized. Just hearing about it already sounds very appealing, doesn’t it? So, take out your pen and paper to note down the recipe below from Điện máy XANH and let’s get cooking right away.
Dessert: Fruits
No need for complicated preparations, fruits are still a dessert that many people love for their delicious, fresh, and sweet flavors that no other dish can provide.
Sitting down to enjoy fruits while sipping tea and chatting with family members before finishing the meal is truly wonderful, isn’t it? Watermelon, grapes, and pears are all fruits rich in vitamins, ensuring that your whole family will love them.
6 Southern Tet Meal Menu 6
Main Dishes: Braised Pork in Coconut Juice, Salted Egg Flower Cake
If the Southern Tet meal menu features braised pork in coconut juice, it’s not surprising at all because this dish is so familiar and dear, everyone gets to eat it at least once during the Tet celebrations of their hometown.
The pork is tender, fatty, and soaked in spices combined with the unique flavor of the salted egg, creating a taste that anyone who has tried it once will never forget. There is still another main dish, which is the salted egg flower cake, that will also make an appearance in this menu, delicious without a doubt.
Each piece of cake fragrant with the salty and slightly sweet flavor of salted egg, oh my, this dish eaten with white rice is “perfectly on point,” ensuring it will not disappoint.
Stir-fried Dish: Sweet and Sour Ribs
Sweet and sour ribs are not only a common daily dish but also part of the Southern Tet meal, playing a very important role.
This dish is fragrant with a variety of colors, a salty flavor, light sourness mixed with a bit of spicy pepper will amaze you right from the first taste. This dish is very delicious whether served with hot rice or enjoyed as a snack.
Accompaniment: Vegetable Salad, Pickled Vegetables
During Tet with a variety of meat dishes rich in protein, how can we balance the nutritional intake for the body? Exactly by adding a side dish of vegetable salad.
Fresh green vegetables, rich in fiber and minerals, are very suitable for those who want to enjoy Tet but are still concerned about their weight. Additionally, vegetables also help to beautify the skin.
If you find the vegetable salad too bland, you can also choose a more flavorful and familiar dish like pickled vegetables. There’s no need to elaborate much on the taste, as everyone already knows, this dish appears most frequently on Tet meal trays without becoming tiresome.
Soup: Chicken soup with dried bamboo shoots
Besides dishes made from pork and beef, chicken dishes are also favored by everyone to add to their family’s Tet menu. Therefore, Dien may XANH will reveal to you the delicious and appealing chicken soup with dried bamboo shoots to make your Tet day more complete.
The flavor of the bamboo shoots cooked with the chicken creates a special aroma and a quite rich broth, suitable for all taste preferences of your family members. Refer to the recipe below to showcase your skills right away!
Dessert: Pandan jelly
After the savory dishes, stir-fried dishes, and soups, you should finish with pandan jelly for dessert, an extremely easy recipe that results in a super delicious product.
The fragrant pandan layer is perfectly flavored, and the coconut milk layer is rich and cannot be criticized at all. This dish tastes much better when kept in the refrigerator. Try your hand at it right away, and your whole family will surely love it.
Hopefully, with 6 suggestions Southern Tet meal that Dien May XANH introduces, you will have more options for your family meal. Wishing you success in your preparations!
