Not only does it keep the home flame burning brightly...

Sour jackfruit, pickled eggplant, Italian pizza, Korean Dechangkum soup served alongside bamboo shoots, steamed fish, and enoki mushroom soup... these are the simple, everyday dishes that the Thai and Mong ethnic people in the high-altitude districts of Ky Son and Tuong Duong love... A feast, not a feast of gourmet food, but simple, warm, and nutritious, prepared by female workers and employees themselves at the Women's Work Skills and Nutritional Meal Competition, organized by the Provincial Labor Union.

A competition titled "Nutritious Meal" organized by the Provincial Labor Union.

Although not required, many organizations and sectors fully organized both parts of the competition: women's skills and nutritious meal preparation, such as the Labor Unions of Anh Son and Nghia Dan districts, and the Health Sector Union... When it became a mandatory part of the competition at the provincial level, many units had experience participating. Not only did the contestants possess knowledge, but they also had a firm grasp of numerous circulars, directives, decrees, and laws protecting workers' rights and handling situations arising in work relationships and daily life... surprising even the organizing committee. Another surprising and interesting aspect was that the high-scoring contestants were from mountainous districts. The contestant who achieved the maximum score in the situational problem-solving section was from the Labor Union of Tan Ky district, and the contestant with the highest score in the multiple-choice test was Quan Thi Thu from the Labor Union of Quy Hop district...

The "Nutritious Meal" competition was truly captivating for the contestants, the organizers, and even their friends and colleagues who came to cheer them on. It not only showcased their ability to keep the "flame" of their family life burning brightly, but also demonstrated their culinary artistry. Most teams designed menus that accurately reflected the theme, balanced nutritional components, and were affordable for civil servants and working families. While employing various methods, it can be affirmed that the teams had conducted research and developed cooking processes that were both technically sound and aesthetically pleasing. Using only simple, readily available ingredients from Nghe An province, many were truly amazed by the ingenious combinations, skillful presentation, and unique creativity of the delicious dishes: "Park Rabbit," "Steamed Eggs with Marbled Pattern," "Mixed Fried Rice," etc. Furthermore, many teams invested carefully in choosing themes and presenting their "creations." The presentations from the Health Sector Union, the Civil Servant Union, the Culture and Sports Sector, the Nghe An Post Office, etc., made the audience feel like they wanted to eat them immediately!

However, there were still some regrettable aspects. Most notably, some teams prepared up to 12 dishes with 25 different ingredients for only 60,000 VND. Some teams were overly elaborate in their presentation, leaning more towards a culinary art competition than a nutritious meal, and some used substandard canned products...

There was no gap between the teams' results. Second-place teams like the Nam Dan and Thanh Chuong Labor Unions were only a fraction of a point behind the first-place team, the Nghe An Postal Workers' Union. Therefore, one team's victory was also a joy for the other. Sitting around the table, having painstakingly prepared their own meal, they felt a sweet, happy, and warm feeling, just like a nutritious meal for their own family of six!

Text and photos: Nguyet Anh