Putting this elegant white radish soup on the Tet feast instead of vermicelli not only helps relieve greasiness, but is also a way to send wishes for a new year of "smooth start and smooth finish".
Different from the dark brown color of the traditional bamboo shoot soup bowl, white radish soup brings a completely new color to the year-end feast.
According to feng shui, white symbolizes the Metal element - the color of beginning, wealth and transparency. Slices of radish trimmed in the shape of blooming apricot blossoms in a clear broth bowl are like a wish for family peace and prosperity right from the first days of the year.
If vermicelli soup often brings a warm feeling, characteristic of old-fashioned fullness, white radish soup represents the modern trend of green and healthy living. This replacement is actually very reasonable: White radish is known as "winter ginseng", which helps circulate blood and supports good digestion.
After feasts of greasy meat, the sweetness of radishes is like a new breath of life, helping the body to be light and the spirit to be clear to welcome spring fortune.
No need for elaborate simmering, a bowl of white radish soup cooked with dried shrimp or mọc balls or ribs still exudes appeal.
To make the soup bowl more colorful and flavorful, you can add a few slices of carrots, shiitake mushrooms, and shredded scallions when cooking with white radish.
Enjoying a bowl of pure soup at the beginning of the year, people feel refreshed, dispelling the worries of the old year to be ready for a promising new journey.
Not stopping at sweet soup bowls, white radish is also an interesting and versatile ingredient for the Tet feast. Dried radish fibers, stir-fried with beef or chicken giblets, create a chewy, crispy, and rich taste.
Sweet and sour pickled radish with crunchy texture can completely replace traditional pickled onions, becoming a perfect dish, helping to neutralize all the greasy feeling of fried and boiled dishes at the beginning of the year.
