Hanoi (VNA) – “Mut Tet” (Tet jams) play an important role in the Vietnamese Lunar New Year (Tet) celebration.
Made from a variety of fruits, such as coconut, ginger, pumpkin, kumquat, and plums, Tet jams are known for their sweet, chewy, and vibrant flavours. They are a significant part of the celebration, symbolising prosperity, happiness, and the renewal of life that the New Year brings.
Kumquat jam has a honey-gold colour and holds special significance in the new year. The kumquat tree bears fruit around the sixth month of the lunar year. The fruit usually ripens during Tet, bringing luck and prosperity to families. Meanwhile, kumquat jam has a sour taste from the fruit's flesh and a slight spicy flavour from the peel, yet it leaves a sweet aftertaste, providing a pleasant sensation to savor in the cool weather of early spring. Additionally, kumquat jam helps relieve cough symptoms and is good for digestion.
Another type of jam that is vital to a Vietnamese family's Tet tray is ginger jam, which signifies a warm and happy life in the new year. Ginger jam has a spicy, warm flavour from ginger, combined with a light sugar coating that melts in the mouth.
People often enjoy ginger jam as a way to express that the lingering bitterness, represented by the spiciness of ginger, gives way to sweetness, marking a fresh start for a more favourable and lucky new year.
Moreover, this jam is very beneficial for health, warming the body, stimulating digestion, detoxifying, and alleviating nausea and bloating. During Tet, when people’s eating habits are irregular, ginger jam can help ease stomach discomfort.
Meanwhile, coconut jam is characterised by its sweet aroma and diverse colours, thanks to various preparation methods depending on individual taste.
Not only is it delicious and sweet, but coconut jam also symbolises family togetherness and happiness over the holiday season. This treat is easy to make. With just a little time, one can create fragrant and sweet coconut jam that is hygienic for the whole family.
Lotus seed jam helps combat insomnia, prevents aging in women, and treats anemia and picky eating. When enjoying this type of jam, one will experience a refreshing taste and a pleasant richness on the tongue. Not only does it have a unique and nutritious flavour, but lotus seed jam also signifies a New Year of reunion and familial abundance.
Peanut jam, with its white sugar coating, offers an interesting taste experience. In Sino-Vietnamese lore, peanuts symbolise fertility and growth, representing hope and blossoming. Additionally, eating peanuts can help boost health by providing protein and fat to the body. Therefore, the jam is considered a symbol of longevity and carries significant meaning for the entire family.
People believe that winter melon jam brings health and prosperity in the new year. It has a moderate sweetness, crunchiness, and a unique aroma. Besides being a Tet snack, it is also used as an ingredient in various cakes, such as mooncakes or pia cakes.
Winter melon jam is viewed as a medicinal remedy with excellent detoxifying properties during the Tet holiday. Therefore, it is not surprising that this jam is always present in the candy trays of families during Tet./.
