Hang Be market in Hanoi, a site famous for selling food in the capital, is bustling as people are busy preparing for Ong Cong – Ong Tao (the Land Genie and the Kitchen Gods Day), which falls on 23rd of the last month of the Lunar New Year.
According to legend, on the 23rd day of the last month of the lunar year, the Land Genie and the Kitchen Gods ride a carp to Heaven to deliver an annual report detailing household activities.
This year, Kitchen Gods’ Day falls on February 2. On that day, Vietnamese people normally clean their houses and prepare a tray of traditional offerings as a farewell to the Land Genie and the Kitchen Gods before they depart for Heaven.
From early in the morning, the market is very crowded as local residents flock to the area to buy boiled chickens with roses and golden carp which are the best-selling food on these days.
The offered chicken is boiled, with a rose branch placed on its beak as a highlight, with the price ranging fetches from VND450,000, equal to US$18.3, to VND500,000, equal to US$20.4.
It is often served with sticky rice which is priced from VND30,000, equal to $1.22, to VND50,000, equal to $2.04, a portion.
All of the food is decorated with eye-catching flowers.
According to a local resident, although the price is high, she still goes to the market to buy the offerings as it serves high-quality products.
Along with going directly to the store to purchase the dish, many customers use delivery apps.
Delivery men are also busy these days as they transport many offerings to customers.
Along with the boiled chickens, traders at the market also sell golden carp as a means of meeting the increased demands of the capital’s residents.
The fish’s prices depend on the type of fish and their appearance. Small gold carps cost VND10,000 to VND25,000, from US$0.4 to US$1.02, while the price of a big fish ranges from VND30,000 to VND35,000, from US$1.22 to US$1.42.
Vietnamnet.vn
Podcast
.svg){kind=icon}
