"Banh Chung" (Chung cake) is one of the most popular and delicious traditional Vietnamese dishes. According to the legend, Chung cake was invented by Prince Lang Lieu - the 18th Prince of Hung Emperor, in the contest of looking for new Emperor. It has become an irreplaceable cake of Vietnamese people at Tet and King Hung's anniversary (10th March of the Lunar calendar).
Chung cake is made from sticky rice, pork, green beans, pepper and onions. It is wrapped in dong leaves (lá dong). The cake will be boiled for about 12 hours over a wood burning stove.
In Vietnam, the process of making Chung cake is the opportunity for family to come together. All members in the family often make Chung cake together and then sit around the warm fire to boil it. Nowadays, in some big cities, the busy life of modern society prevents people from preparing the cake, however, the habit of worship ancestors with Chung cake never changes.
Sticky rice, pork and green beans are some ingredients to make Chung cake.