Xôi Gấc

Xôi Gấc (Vietnamese Gac Fruit Sticky Rice)

Xôi Gấc is a vivid red sticky rice traditionally served at weddings, Lunar New Year (Tết) and other celebrations in Vietnam. The deep crimson color and subtle aroma come from the gac fruit (Momordica cochinchinensis), whose beta-carotene-rich arils are wrapped around the rice before steaming.

Prep

25 min

Cook

60 min

Total

85 min

Serves

6

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •500 g (1 lb 2 oz) glutinous (sticky) rice, soaked 4–6 hours or overnight
• •1 whole ripe gac fruit, fully red/orange when ripe; substitute 2–3 tbsp gac oil + a few drops red food coloring if unavailable outside Vietnam
• •250 ml (1 cup) coconut milk, full-fat, canned or freshly pressed
• •200 ml (scant 1 cup) fresh milk, whole milk; cow's milk is the modern Vietnamese home-cook norm
• •100 g (½ cup) granulated sugar, adjust to taste; palm sugar is traditional
• •1 tsp fine sea salt
• •2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, optional garnish
• •1 tbsp shredded coconut, toasted, optional garnish
• •1 tsp vegetable oil, for greasing steamer

Steps

1. 1 Drain the soaked glutinous rice and spread it on a clean kitchen towel to air-dry for 10 minutes.
2. 2 Halve the gac fruit lengthwise. Scoop out the bright red arils (the soft pulp-coated seeds) into a bowl, discarding the outer rind. There is no toxic compound here, but the rind and unripe flesh are very bitter, so handle only the red arils.
3. 3 Place the rice in a heatproof bowl that fits inside your steamer. Pour the coconut milk, fresh milk, sugar and salt over the rice and stir briefly to combine.
4. 4 Fold the gac arils evenly through the rice mixture; the liquid will turn a deep orange-red. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes so the rice begins to absorb the liquid.
5. 5 Prepare a steamer over vigorously boiling water. Lightly oil the inside of the steaming bowl or line it with cheesecloth to prevent sticking. Cover the rice loosely with foil or a cloth (do not seal tightly) and place the bowl in the steamer.
6. 6 Steam for 45–55 minutes. Every 15 minutes, lift the lid and gently stir the rice with a chopstick or wooden spoon, then smooth the top and re-cover. The rice is done when the grains are tender, translucent, and no longer chalky in the center; the mixture should be moist and glossy, not soupy.
7. 7 Once cooked, taste and stir in 1–2 extra tablespoons of sugar if you prefer it sweeter. Transfer to a serving platter.
8. 8 Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and toasted coconut if using. Xôi Gấc is traditionally eaten warm as a festive snack or dessert. Leftovers keep refrigerated for up to 2 days; re-steam for 5–10 minutes before serving.