02/06/2014
Vietnamese extirpation insect's day. 5th May of Lunar Calendar
- According to the legend, in a day 5th May of Lunar Calendar, everyone was happy for their good harvests. But suddenly hundreds and thousands insects came, they ate all fruits, rice from the fields, gardens to the stocks. While people were worried to find the solution, an old man came in village and told them the way to extirpate insects. Every house needed to prepare "Bánh Tro" - ashes cake, "Rượu Nếp" - Vietnamese fermented glutinous rice fruit to pray and then do exercises in front of their house. After that, the insects were falling down to the ground. He also said that insects is aggressive this day every year, thus keep doing like this on 5th May of year to destroy them. Villagers were about to thank him but he had disappeared.
- To remember this, they named it "Extirpation Insect's Day", Its also known as Đoan Ngo's day.
- I remembered one 5th May, there were ashes cake and more fruit than often, i asked my mom if eating fruit .... would kill insects in my stomach, she smiled and told the that legend story. Well, whatever the purpose could it be, it is still a great day of children, a lot of food :D
- As traditional way, we always prepare "Rượu Nếp" and fruit to pray for ancestor and banishment the insects.
- We have ashes cake for breakfast, while fruit and rượu nếp are desert of lunch.
- Talking about "Bánh Tro" - Ashes cake: it's also named "bánh gio" in the North and "bánh ú" in the South. As its name Ashes cake, ashes from leaf and branch is mixed in water, sticky rice with beam are covered by banana leaf and boil in that water in complex process. We use ashes cake with cane sire, it's just perfectly match with each other.
- Rượu Nếp: or so called in the South :"Cơm Rượu – rice with wine", the special sticky rice is fermented in Vietnamese way bring this dish a special taste but don't eat much or you could be drunk :D.
- Fruit: best for this season is litchi and plum, litchi with deep sweet is my favourite, girls always like plum with salt.
Happy Extiration Insect's Day, eat as much fruit and Rượu Nếp as you can to kill insect in stomach!!! Just kidding! Enjoy this day with us!!!!