In the warm and joyful atmosphere of family reunion at the beginning of the year, the traditional Tet feast of Ninh Bình embodies prosperity and togetherness. It is a harmonious combination of mountain and lowland produce, crystallized with generations of cultural heritage from this historic land.

For the people of Ninh Bình, the Tet feast is not only an offering to ancestors but also a heartfelt wish for a new year filled with abundance and peace. Each dish is meticulously prepared, carefully balanced in color, flavor, and symbolism. From familiar ingredients, transformed by skillful hands, every dish becomes an indispensable part of Tet memories.

While Northern Vietnam traditionally features green sticky rice cakes, Vietnamese pork sausage, jellied meat, and pickled onions, the Tet feast of Ninh Bình bears the distinctive imprint of its mountainous and riverine landscape with famous specialties such as mountain goat, crispy rice, free-range hill chicken, Tổng Trường perch, and Nhân Hậu braised fish.

Mountain Goat, The Essence of Tràng An’s Limestone Peaks

When speaking of Ninh Bình cuisine, mountain goat is undoubtedly the most iconic dish. The goats are naturally raised on limestone mountains, feeding on wild leaves, resulting in firm, fragrant, and lean meat. During Tet, families often prepare steamed goat, goat with lime, grilled goat slabs, or goat braised with galangal and fermented rice to welcome honored guests.

The dish is best enjoyed with fig leaves, perilla leaves, green banana, star fruit, and dipped in a distinctive ginger soy sauce. The savory richness of the sauce, the gentle warmth of ginger, and the natural sweetness of goat meat blend together, creating a comforting flavor perfect for the cool days of early spring.

Ninh Bình Crispy Rice, A Golden Crunch

Crispy rice from Ninh Bình is far more than a simple crunchy snack; its true soul lies in the savory sauce poured over it. Fragrant tám rice is cooked, pressed into thin sheets, sun-dried, and deep-fried until golden and crisp. However, the dish reaches perfection only when topped with its signature thick sauce.

The traditional sauce is often made from pork heart, kidney, minced meat, or shredded pork floss, combined with fish sauce, fried shallots, and seasonings, creating a distinctive savory-sweet-rich flavor. When drizzled over hot crispy rice, the sauce gently seeps into each grain, maintaining the crunch while enhancing the depth of taste. This perfect harmony has made Ninh Bình crispy rice a culinary brand of the region.

Hill Chicken and Tổng Trường Perch, Rustic Countryside Flavors

Beyond mountain specialties, Tet cuisine in Ninh Bình is also infused with the flavors of the countryside. Naturally free-range hill chicken is known for its firm and fragrant meat, typically boiled or steamed with kaffir lime leaves to preserve its natural sweetness. The golden platter of chicken placed at the center of the feast symbolizes prosperity and fullness.

Tổng Trường perch is another familiar Tet dish. Whether braised in clay pot or pan-fried and caramelized in a savory-sweet glaze, it pairs beautifully with hot rice, offering a simple yet unforgettable taste that reflects the honest character of this ancient capital land.

Nhân Hậu Braised Fish, A Comforting Tet Favorite

In addition to mountain delicacies, many families in Ninh Bình also prepare Nhân Hậu braised fish during Tet. As the Lunar New Year approaches, households often order large clay pots of braised fish to enjoy throughout the first days of spring.

Large black carp are slowly braised in clay pots with galangal, ginger, shallots, fish sauce, bone broth, and caramelized sauce. The fish is simmered for many hours over longan wood, ensuring steady heat that makes the meat firm, the bones tender, and the flavors deeply absorbed. When the lid is lifted, a warm aroma of ginger and galangal fills the air, and the fish gleams with an inviting amber-brown color.

Served with hot rice, pickled onions, or boiled vegetables, the dish creates a simple yet deeply satisfying meal. It symbolizes endurance, accumulation, and prosperity, enriching the flavor of Tet in Ninh Bình.

Tet cuisine in Ninh Bình may not be extravagant, but it is rich in identity, closely connected to nature and local culture. Each dish tells a story of land and people, of harmony between mountains and plains, tradition and modernity.

For visitors, enjoying Ninh Bình’s Tet cuisine is not merely a culinary experience but a cultural journey. Sitting in a traditional wooden house, sipping hot tea, savoring crispy rice or fragrant mountain goat, one can truly feel the breath of spring in this heritage land.

Tet in Ninh Bình is beautiful not only for its scenery but also for its warm and familiar flavors. And for anyone who has tasted it even once, the flavors of Tet in Ninh Bình will surely remain an unforgettable memory of early spring travels.