WNAM REPORT: As the Lunar New Year (Tet) approaches, the kitchen at the Vietnamese Embassy in South Africa comes alive with the busy preparations for the annual community celebration.
Like in Vietnam, embassy staff, along with their spouses and colleagues from other agencies, gather every year to prepare Banh Chung, the iconic square sticky rice cake that symbolises Tet. This tradition is a way for the Vietnamese community to preserve their cultural heritage and share the taste of home with those living in South Africa, offering a warm and festive atmosphere.
While the Vietnamese community in South Africa is small, with around 200-300 people living, working, and studying across the country, Tet is a time when they come together to celebrate. They eagerly anticipate the embassy’s Tet events, especially the chance to enjoy traditional Vietnamese dishes, with Banh Chung being the highlight — a dish that’s hard to find in Africa.
For these celebrations, “dong” leaves and bamboo strings are shipped in advance, carefully frozen, while glutinous rice and green beans are also sent from Vietnam. This is an opportunity for women in the community to share their skills — from washing leaves to preparing rice and beans — ensuring the cakes are fragrant, green, and healthy for the children.
Thuy Nga, the wife of a Vietnamese diplomat in South Africa, who has helped with several Tet preparations, recalls the challenges of making Banh Chung during the COVID-19 pandemic when authentic Vietnamese ingredients were scarce.
“We had to travel hundreds of kilometres to find banana leaves in South Africa, but they were tough and easily torn, making it hard to wrap the cakes properly,” she explained. However, thanks to support from delegations bringing in essential ingredients like dong leaves and bamboo strings, the process has become smoother, and the cakes are now more authentic, fragrant, and delicious. Thuy Nga shared that it’s always a heart-warming moment when the Vietnamese expats enjoy and praise the cakes, adding to the festive spirit of the community celebration.
Wrapping Banh Chung is a highlight for everyone. The kitchen fills with laughter and chatter as people exchange tips and tricks for creating the perfect cakes. The goal is always to make beautiful, authentic cakes to share with the community.
In addition to Banh Chung, the Tet celebration in South Africa also features other beloved Vietnamese dishes like “gio xao” (Vietnamese pork sausage), “nem ran” (fried spring rolls), and “canh mang” (bamboo shoot soup).
As night falls, the Vietnamese community, both adults and children, gather around the pots of freshly made Banh Chung. For the children of diplomats who’ve travelled to South Africa, these moments of preparing for Tet, roasting corn and sweet potatoes, and hearing stories about Tet traditions will become cherished memories.
After over 12 hours of cooking, the square cakes were carefully removed from the pots to be pressed, with everyone eagerly awaiting the final result. With everything ready, the Vietnamese community in South Africa is set for a warm and joyful Tet celebration, bringing a little piece of home to this corner of the African continent.
