Hanoians line up to buy cakes for Cold Food Festival

Many people in Hanoi have flocked to the Banh Troi and Banh Chay (floating rice cake and lean cake) stores to celebrate Tet Han Thuc or the Cold Food Festival.

Many people in Hanoi have flocked to the Banh Troi and Banh Chay (floating rice cake and lean cake) stores to celebrate Tet Han Thuc or the Cold Food Festival.

   

Lining up to buy floating rice cakes

The Cold Food Festival is an occasion for families to gather and remember their ancestors. The festival is often held on the third day of the third lunar month or April 18 this year.

On Ngo Thi Nham Street, customer queued outside of the stores since early morning to wait for their turn the buy fresh floating rice cakes and lean cakes. The stores also work to full capacity and some have to bring out ingredients to make more cakes on the pavements.

Floating rice cakes and lean cakes are made of glutinous rice flour. Floating rice cakes have sugar cubes while lean cakes have green bean paste and sprinkled with sesame seeds.

Some photos of the day:

  

A set of floating rice cakes and lean cakes is sold for VND25,000 (USD1.10)

A store used up six of its pots yet unable to meet demand

The cakes are sold out immediately

Streets vendors also unable to meet demand

Making floating rice cakes