"Love-seeking" cakes, sold only during the Lunar New Year by the Chinese community in Saigon.

Visiting the Cho Lon market (District 5, Ho Chi Minh City), especially Phung Hung market, in the days leading up to Tet (Lunar New Year), you will easily spot makeshift stalls displaying all kinds of different cakes. Some families have been associated with this place for decades and only open their stalls during the traditional Tet holiday.

Among the many traditional cakes favored by the people of Cholon during the Lunar New Year, pomegranate-shaped cake stands out with its unique shape and eye-catching red color. Its name also comes from its resemblance to a pomegranate. Elderly people in the Cholon area say that pomegranate-shaped cakes are often offered to the Kitchen God or on New Year's Eve. Many people also buy them to display in their homes until the end of Tet. According to old beliefs, the cake brings good fortune to the whole family, especially in matters of love.

Mr. Luong Van Long (born in 1965) has over 30 years of experience making pomegranate-shaped cakes in District 5. "Like some other households, my family sets up a stall selling pomegranate-shaped cakes on Nguyen Trai Street every year," Mr. Long said.

Completing a cake requires considerable effort from the baker. "Cooking the sugar, mixing the rice flakes, pressing into molds, attaching the crust, adding flowers, coating with sesame seeds, painting... are some of the basic steps. There are nearly 10 steps performed before the cake reaches the customer," Mr. Long said.

The main ingredient for making the cake is rice flour. Many places add a little wheat flour and malt syrup. The filling is a mixture of roasted peanuts (halved), lotus seeds, glutinous rice flakes, and malt syrup. The filling is placed inside a thin piece of dough, almost the size of a hand. The baker must shape the cake into an oval, perfectly round shape. The photo shows Mr. Long using scissors to create the flower petals on top of the cake.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Hai (born in 1964), who lives in District 8, is working at Mr. Long's family's bakery. This is her first year working there. "Thanks to this job, I've learned about a unique aspect of Chinese culture when celebrating Tet (Lunar New Year)," she shared.

Once the cakes are basically finished, they are passed on to Mrs. Hai. She takes on the job of painting the flower petals with food coloring. The cakes, after being painted, have vibrant colors and a fragrant sesame aroma.

When frying in a pan with plenty of oil, the cakes are placed face down (petal side facing down). "This frying method ensures the petals cook through first, guaranteeing firmness before being flipped over," Mr. Long added.

After frying, the cakes are placed in a separate basket to drain the oil. The outer layer is coated with sesame seeds, giving them an attractive golden color after frying.

Pomegranate-shaped cakes are sweet and slightly rich. The peanuts, puffed rice, and malt filling inside give them a fragrant aroma. For the Chinese, these humble pomegranate-shaped cakes, often sold on the streets, are an indispensable part of the New Year's offering. Many people also make them themselves as offerings to pray for children. Each kilogram of cake costs from 200,000 VND. Various sizes are available for customers to choose from.

Phong Vinh