Xôi

Xôi Đỗ Xanh (Vietnamese Sticky Rice with Mung Beans)

Xôi is a comforting staple of Vietnamese cuisine — glutinous rice steamed until tender and often topped with savory or sweet accompaniments. This version, xôi đỗ xanh, pairs the nutty rice with creamy mung bean paste for a classic savory snack or light meal.

Prep

20 min

Cook

50 min

Total

70 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Easy

Recipe ingredients

• •400 g (14 oz) glutinous (sticky) rice, also called sweet rice or糯rice; do not substitute long-grain
• •200 g (7 oz) split yellow mung beans, hulled, not whole green
• •60 ml (¼ cup) neutral oil, such as canola or sunflower
• •5 g (1 tsp) salt
• •2 g (½ tsp) ground white pepper
• •30 ml (2 tbsp) soy sauce, optional, for serving
• •20 g (¼ cup) crispy fried shallots, for garnish
• •10 g (2 tbsp) sliced scallions, for garnish

Steps

1. 1 Rinse the glutinous rice in cold water 4–5 times until the water runs nearly clear, then soak in fresh cold water for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Drain well.
2. 2 Rinse the split mung beans and soak them in cold water for 1 hour. Drain.
3. 3 Line a steamer basket with a clean cheesecloth or muslin cloth. Spread the drained rice evenly over the cloth, poke a few holes with a chopstick to allow steam through, and steam over rapidly boiling water for 20 minutes.
4. 4 While the rice steams, place the soaked mung beans in a small pot, cover with fresh water by 2 cm (about 1 inch), bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes until very soft. Drain and mash into a coarse paste.
5. 5 After 20 minutes, transfer the partially steamed rice to a large bowl. Add the neutral oil, salt, and white pepper, and mix gently with a wet spatula. Stir in the mashed mung beans until evenly distributed.
6. 6 Return the rice and bean mixture to the steamer basket, spread evenly, and steam for another 25–30 minutes, until the rice is glossy, tender, and holds together when pressed.
7. 7 Remove from the steamer and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a wet spoon.
8. 8 Serve warm in bowls, topped with crispy fried shallots and sliced scallions. Drizzle with soy sauce if desired.