Unique New Year's Eve offerings of the Muong ethnic group

The dishes on the leaf tray are all dishes formed during the production process of ethnic people and are processed, adjusted with ingredients and become typical dishes of the Muong people. On the leaf tray, no matter how much or how little, there are 3 indispensable dishes: Cha chia, ca ot can and cha la grapefruit. The accompanying spices include fish sauce, salt, cooking oil, MSG, seasoning powder, wild doi seeds, he seeds (also known as mac khen seeds), pepper, sesame seeds, khaa leaves, garlic, ginger, chili, galangal, dried onions and many other ethnic spices. These unique and special spices also increase the attractiveness and delicious flavor of each dish on the Muong ethnic people's leaf tray.

The tray is made from a bamboo tray or a square or round wooden tray. Banana leaves are heated over a fire and spread on the tray, which is also the time when hot dishes are arranged in a neat order, each dish complementing the other, looking very lively and attractive. Through the leaf tray, the Muong people flexibly express their community spirit, mutual affection, family traditions as well as their culture. The layout of the tray: Divided into 6 parts in a circle with proportions proportional to the dishes, representing the 6 main ethnic groups living in Hoa Binh (Muong, Kinh, Thai, Dao, Tay, Mong). That is also the unique feature of the Muong leaf tray. The leaf tray on Tet is the quintessence of Muong cuisine, it contains people's affection for the land, sky, mountains and forests.

Dishes are prepared before being served.

According to the Muong people's concept, the tip and edge of the leaf represent Muong Sang - of the living, the base of the leaf and the leaf gills represent Muong Toi - Muong ma, of the dead. Therefore, when using banana leaves to set up an offering, the Muong people also have a rule of distinction: People come in, ghosts come out - that is, when preparing an offering for the living, the tip of the leaf faces inward, but when preparing an offering for ghosts, do the opposite.

Artisan Bui Thi Thao introduces how to arrange dishes on a leaf tray.

Five-color sticky rice is also one of the indispensable dishes on the Tet leaf tray.

The complete tray of offerings after being presented.

Leaf offerings are considered one of the culinary cultural characteristics of the Muong people in Hoa Binh during holidays and traditional cultural festivals.

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