[In Pictures] Family gathers and stays up all night to watch over the pot of banh chung for Tet

In the last days of the old lunar year, many families in Hanoi still maintain the tradition of wrapping banh chung (square cake) to celebrate Tet. On many streets and alleys, images of adults and children gather around the fire, staying up all night waiting for the cakes to cook.
Adults and children gather and stay up all night in many alleys in Hanoi to watch over the pot of banh chung for Tet.
Adults and children gather and stay up all night in many alleys in Hanoi to watch over the pot of banh chung for Tet.
Mr Han (64 years old), living on Khuong Dinh Street (Thanh Xuan District), said: “This year, my family started boiling banh chung from the 25th of the 12th lunar month, and every day until the 29th of Tet, the fire is red like this. The homemade banh chung is mainly for relatives, family, and neighbours around the area”.

Mr Han (64 years old), living on Khuong Dinh Street (Thanh Xuan District), said: “This year, my family started boiling banh chung from the 25th of the 12th lunar month, and every day until the 29th of Tet, the fire is red like this. The homemade banh chung is mainly for relatives, family, and neighbours around the area”.
Mr Han said that to cook banh chung, his family prepared three different pots. The smallest pot can cook about 80 pieces, the medium pot can cook about 100 pieces, and the largest pot can cook about 120 pieces.

Mr Han said that to cook banh chung, his family prepared three different pots. The smallest pot can cook about 80 pieces, the medium pot can cook about 100 pieces, and the largest pot can cook about 120 pieces.

Ms Tuyen’s extended family gathers together to watch over the pot of banh chung in a small alley on Vu Tong Phan Street.

Ms Tuyen’s extended family gathers together to watch over the pot of banh chung in a small alley on Vu Tong Phan Street.
Tuyen said: “About 12 years ago when I became a daughter-in-law, the family had a tradition of cooking banh chung for Tet. This is also the occasion when the family can fully gather together every year.”

Tuyen said: “About 12 years ago when I became a daughter-in-law, the family had a tradition of cooking banh chung for Tet. This is also the occasion when the family can fully gather together every year.”
The children are taught how to boil the cakes by adults, while the whole family watch over the pot of banh chung.

The children are taught how to boil the cakes by adults, while the whole family watch over the pot of banh chung.
Banh chung is boiled in the traditional way for 12 hours before it can be taken out, not to mention having to continuously supply water and firewood so that the banh chung is cooked evenly.

Banh chung is boiled in the traditional way for 12 hours before it can be taken out, not to mention having to continuously supply water and firewood so that the banh chung is cooked evenly.
In a corner of the yard in alley 342 Khuong Dinh (Thanh Xuan District), Ms Hong Tam and her family of three generations of children and grandchildren stayed up to watch over the pot of banh chung.

In a corner of the yard in alley 342 Khuong Dinh (Thanh Xuan District), Ms Hong Tam and her family of three generations of children and grandchildren stayed up to watch over the pot of banh chung.
NDO

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