During the Dragon Boat Festival, we all ate zongzi and duck eggs, and lived this ancient festival in our way. But you know what? In fact, foreigners also celebrate the Dragon Boat Festival, and they also have corresponding food during the Dragon Boat Festival. Then, let the old calendar show you about the foreign Dragon Boat Festival cuisine.
Japan: Zongzi/mistletoe cake+calamus wine
Eat Zongzi and mistletoe cake. Zongzi was called "Maojuan" in ancient Japan and was conical. At first, the japonica rice was steamed and mashed into rice cakes, wrapped in leaves and cooked with water. Later, it was wrapped with calamus leaves, bamboo leaves and reed leaves, and the production methods were gradually diversified. And the ingredients used in Japanese zongzi are ground rice flour instead of glutinous rice. Mistletoe cakes are also eaten during the Japanese Dragon Boat Festival. Because in Japanese culture, the oak tree contains a beautiful meaning of prosperity for future generations.
drink calamus wine. Because the sword-like shape of Acorus calamus is reminiscent of exorcism, Acorus calamus has the function of exorcism in Japanese culture. In addition, its Japanese pronunciation is the same as "martial arts" and "winning or losing", which is a symbol of bravery. During the Dragon Boat Festival, people drink calamus wine and bathe in calamus water. It is said that the fragrance of calamus can drive away demons.
Korea: wormwood cake+cherry tea+water-soaked soup
In Korea, the Dragon Boat Festival is used to worship ancestors, pray for a good harvest and bless health. During the Dragon Boat Festival, Koreans like to eat wormwood cakes, taste cherry tea and drink soup.
eat wormwood cake. The wormwood cake is also called "wheel cake" because its shape resembles a wheel. Before and after the Dragon Boat Festival, fresh wormwood leaves were picked and mashed with japonica rice to make wormwood cakes with Korean characteristics. It is said that wormwood cake can ward off evil spirits and replenish physical strength. In addition, it also has the functions of preventing gastrointestinal diseases, diarrhea, diminishing inflammation and stopping bleeding.
taste cherry tea. After fresh cherries are washed and pitted, they are pickled with sugar or honey. Add appropriate amount of Schisandra tea soup and ice cubes when drinking. Cherry tea can relieve heat, relieve fatigue and restore vitality, and it is a good drink for cooling in summer.
drink sobering soup. Decoction is a medicinal drink, one of the ancient palace drinks. It is prepared from mume Fructus, Amomum villosum, white sandalwood and Amomum tsaoko by adding honey, boiling and cooling. Before and after the Dragon Boat Festival, the sun is strong, and the soup has the effect of clearing away the thirst, so it is very popular among people.
Vietnam: glutinous rice with yellow ginger+square zongzi
During the Dragon Boat Festival, Vietnamese people will prepare glutinous rice with yellow ginger to thank their ancestors for bringing ample food and clothing to future generations, and pray for their ancestors to bless the good weather and good harvests. In addition, the Vietnamese believe that the yellow ginger in the yellow ginger rice has the effects of avoiding plague, detoxifying and preventing sores. Eating the yellow ginger rice in spring and summer every year can avoid being invaded by some diseases, so eating the yellow ginger glutinous rice on the Dragon Boat Festival is essential for the Vietnamese.
Square salted zongzi is also a special food of Vietnam Dragon Boat Festival. This kind of zongzi is stuffed with shrimp, lean meat, duck egg yolk and red beans, which is quite Fujian-Guangdong flavor. There is also a kind of sweet zongzi, which is made by kneading glutinous rice flour into a dough, stuffing shredded coconut, red beans or mung beans into the dough and making it into a diamond-shaped zongzi. After steaming, it is dipped in honey juice or sugar to eat.