One old tale in Vietnamese culture about rice has to do with a young price who had to make a simple rice cake, known as ‘banh chung’, in order to have right to be king. So the prince filled his rice cake with green peas and pork. One rice cake was square, the other a circle. Sky and Earth represented. The cakes also signified a virtue of respect to their elders and ancestors. Now a tradition, as a part of every New Year’s celebration, Vietnamese rice cakes are made to join families together and symbolize the rise of a new generation.
There’s so much beauty to rice and how it’s been applied across Vietnamese culture. We may take it for granted being here in North America and seeing rice served so often in a variety of cultures. For the Vietnamese, it holds a special place in our heart as a food of the people. For generations, it’s fed everyone from our most intelligent people and political leaders to farmers and workers from all backgrounds. We pay tribute to this by using rice in Vietnamese cuisine whenever appropriate.
Are you looking for a Vietnamese restaurant in Toronto? Please drop by. We are TorontoPHO. Offering classics like banh cuon and pho, find all your favourites made with rice and without. TorontoPHO invests a lot into ensuring our food is prepared authentic to Vietnamese-style. Grab a bowl or plate and have a taste! Your table’s waiting.
