Boiled rice and pork cakes are usually cooked 2-3 days before Tet. Both can be kept for about two weeks in cool temperature. However, after this time they become hard and must be re-boiled.

Nem ran (called cha gio in the south) is a much-appreciated speciality, although it is very easy to prepare.

Xoi, or steamed sticky rice, is as popular for breakfast of the Vietnamese as bread in Western countries. Xoi comes in all sorts of strange flavours. Almost every street has a xoi vendor, waiting to ladle big spoonfulls of steaming xoi into bowls, or wrap it in leaves.

Banh gio, a popular northern dish made from rice flour and pork is packaged in banana leaves.

Gio cha (pork pie boiled or fired or grilled). Pounded meat, impregnated with fragrant ingredients, wrapped in banana leaves and stewed is called gio. If grilled, it is called cha.