Back to English Comments Places - February 6, 2019 | 04:35 pm GMT+7 Saigon’s Nguyen Hue Street transforms every New Year into a floral paradise and has giant images of the animal representing the year. Since the early 21st century Nguyen Hue Street in HCMC’s District 1 has been the main spring flower market for locals. People went there not only to buy flowers but also to enjoy the flower market during Tet, the Lunar New Year holiday. The city moved the spring flower market to September 23 Park, a 10-minute drive from the old location, causing many to long for a walk again on Nguyen Hue.In 2004 Nguyen Hue made a comeback but in a completely different garb: There was no more selling of flowers, and the place was meant solely for a spring experience. Every year since the street featured new themes and ideas.The first animal in the zodiac is the mouse, which was featured in Nguyen Hue in 2008 with the theme 'Overcome'. There was a family of mice made from … [Read more...] about Zodiac animals over the years at Saigon’s flower street – VnExpress International
Dough rising
Are moon festivals the same everywhere in Asia?
Japan Japan has two moon festivals every year, following lunar calendar. Zyuyoga is associated with the traditional customs of "Otsukimi" (meaning watching the moon on the full moon day in autumn). For the people in the land of the rising sun, the festival is the time for them to honor the moon in the fall, the only time the moon is at its fullest. In the Otsukimi festival, the Japanese often make Dango, a type of rice dumplings (mochiko). It is quite similar to mochi and is served with tea. On the 15th day of the eighth lunar month, the Japanese personally hand mix flour with water, pound it to create that structure-builder before proceeds to baking. Dango cake is presented with a Susuki grass vase during moon festivals. Also known as tail flower, susuki is a perennial tall grass that blossoms in the autumn. The moon watching ritual cannot be done without dango cake. Dango cake and susuki grass. Photo courtesy of Katorisi on Wikipedia The legend of Dango cake is traditionally … [Read more...] about Are moon festivals the same everywhere in Asia?
Duc Cake in Nghe An
There are two fundamental ingredients: Te rice and lime water. The former, Te rice, must be white and pure, which means that it is not mixed with any other types of rice. To prepare the rice, it is ground and keep covered overnight to make it rise. The latter, lime water, can be made by pouring lime juice into water and stirring continuously for a few minutes. Next, the rice flour is poured into the transparent filtered lime water and then both are poured into a pot. After steaming, the dough can be used to create many different types of Duc cake. For example, the dough can be wrapped in banana leaves, or made into small, round, flat pieces. Interestingly, these pieces can be piled up to form a 9-storey tower. During Tet holiday or family gatherings, the cakes are made with a more complicated recipe. People will add lean pork and fried Vietnamese onions to the boiling pot. Thus, when the dough is done, it will have onions and meat as well. In certain places, people also add peanuts to … [Read more...] about Duc Cake in Nghe An