Vietnamese National Dishes

Bánh khúc (xôi khúc) Hà Nội — herb-wrapped sticky rice with mung bean and pork

These Hanoi-style steamed parcels bring together three textures: a soft, green-tinged dough scented with rau khúc, a rich mung-bean and pork-belly centre, and a generous coat of chewy glutinous rice. The parcels are formed individually and steamed until the outside rice is tender. In northern Vietnam, bánh khúc also appears in other shapes and cooking styles; this recipe follows the rice-coated steamed xôi khúc form.

Vietnamese National Dishes
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Hanoi bánh khúc with a white glutinous-rice coating, green rau khúc dough, yellow mung-bean filling and pork belly, served on banana leaf
Hanoi bánh khúc with a white glutinous-rice coating, green rau khúc dough, yellow mung-bean filling and pork belly, served on banana leaf
Yield 10 parcels
Cook time 75 minutes
Passive time 360 minutes
Total time 495 minutes (8 hours 15 minutes), including soaking
Calories About 490 kcal per parcel
Ingredients ↓
Overview

Bánh khúc (xôi khúc) Hà Nội — herb-wrapped sticky rice with mung bean and pork

These Hanoi-style steamed parcels bring together three textures: a soft, green-tinged dough scented with rau khúc, a rich mung-bean and pork-belly centre, and a generous coat of chewy glutinous rice. The parcels are formed individually and steamed until the outside rice is tender. In northern Vietnam, bánh khúc also appears in other shapes and cooking styles; this recipe follows the rice-coated steamed xôi khúc form.

Practical

Practical

  • Tips for successSoak the rice and mung beans separately in the refrigerator, then drain them very well so the coating rice adheres instead of slipping off. Keep the herb dough covered while shaping. If it cracks, knead in a little warm herb liquid; if sticky, dust your hands lightly with rice flour. Let the filling cool before wrapping so it stays compact and does not soften the dough. Leave space between parcels in the steamer so steam can circulate through the rice coating.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Sticky-rice coating

  • 400 g uncooked white glutinous rice
  • 4 g fine salt

Rau khúc dough

  • 250 g fresh rau khúc, washed and trimmed
  • 200 g glutinous rice flour
  • 100 g white rice flour
  • 2 g fine salt
  • About 100 ml hot herb-blanching liquid, plus up to 40 ml as needed

Mung-bean and pork filling

  • 200 g dry peeled split mung beans
  • 300 g pork belly, cut into thick strips about 2.5 cm thick
  • 50 g shallot, finely chopped
  • 15 ml fish sauce
  • 2 g fine salt
  • 1 g ground black pepper

For steaming

  • Banana leaves, as needed to line the steamer
Method

Method

Method

  1. Rinse the glutinous rice until the water is nearly clear. Cover it with cold water and soak in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight. Rinse the mung beans and soak them separately in the refrigerator for 3 hours. Drain both well and discard the soaking water.

  2. Set a steamer over boiling water. Spread the drained mung beans in a heatproof dish and steam for 20–25 minutes, until completely tender. Mash them while hot with 2 g salt into a thick paste; cool until easy to handle.

  3. Pat the pork belly dry. Cook the thick strips in a skillet over medium heat, turning, until browned and the centre of the thickest strip reaches at least 63°C. Rest for 3 minutes, then finely dice. Pour off excess rendered fat, leaving about 10 ml in the pan. Cook the shallot in that fat for 2–3 minutes, stir in the pork, fish sauce, 2 g salt and pepper, and cook 1 minute. Fold into the mashed mung beans and cool. Shape the filling into 10 compact portions.

  4. Bring a small pot of water to a boil. Blanch the rau khúc for 2 minutes until wilted, then drain and reserve the liquid. Cool enough to handle, squeeze gently and pound or blend the herb to a fine, moist paste. Mix the glutinous rice flour, white rice flour and 2 g salt. Work in the herb paste and about 100 ml hot reserved liquid. Knead until smooth and pliable, adding more liquid a tablespoon at a time, up to 40 ml. Cover and rest for 15 minutes.

  5. Drain the soaked glutinous rice very well and mix with 4 g salt. Divide the herb dough into 10 equal portions. Flatten each portion, place one filling portion in the middle and pinch the dough closed around it. Roll each parcel in the drained rice so the outside is generously coated; gently press the grains into the dough.

  6. Line the steamer rack with banana leaf and arrange the parcels with space between them. Steam over vigorously boiling water for 40–45 minutes, replenishing the water as needed. The outer rice should be tender throughout and the parcels steaming hot in the centre. If any rice remains firm, steam 5–10 minutes longer. Serve hot.

Practical

Practical

Practical guidance

Make ahead: Soak the rice and mung beans overnight in the refrigerator. The filling and dough can be prepared earlier the same day; keep the filling chilled and covered, then bring it back to cool room temperature before shaping. Storage: Refrigerate leftover parcels in shallow containers within 2 hours (within 1 hour above 32°C / 90°F), at or below 4°C / 40°F. Use within 3 days. Reheating: Steam until piping hot throughout; for a temperature check, the centre should reach 74°C / 165°F. Herb availability: Rau khúc gives the characteristic aroma. If it is unavailable, spinach can provide a green dough, but the flavour will be different and the result is an adaptation.

Troubleshooting

Dough cracks while wrapping: It may be too dry or cool. Knead in warm herb liquid a teaspoon at a time and keep unused dough covered. Rice grains fall away: Drain the soaked rice thoroughly and press the grains gently into each parcel. Filling is loose: Mash the mung beans until thick and let the filling cool fully before shaping. Rice coating is still firm: The parcels may be crowded or the steam may have weakened. Replenish with boiling water and steam 5–10 minutes longer.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use another green instead of rau khúc? Spinach can colour the dough, but it will not reproduce rau khúc’s distinctive aroma. Why is the rice soaked separately? The drained grains form the outer coat, while the herb-flour dough and filling are shaped first. Can I use ground pork? The selected version uses pork belly pieces; ground pork is a different filling and needs to reach 71°C / 160°F.

Nutrition per serving

Approximate estimate from the measured rice, flours, mung beans, pork belly, greens, shallot, fish sauce and salt. Pork-belly fat and the amount retained after cooking vary, so actual values may differ.

Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving

  • Serving size1 parcel
  • CaloriesAbout 490 kcal
  • CarbohydrateAbout 71 g
  • ProteinAbout 13 g
  • FatAbout 17 g
  • FibreAbout 5 g
  • SodiumAbout 450 mg
Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Fish sauce contains fish; check the labels of packaged ingredients for cross-contact. Cook whole-cut pork belly to at least 63°C / 145°F and let it rest for 3 minutes before dicing. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours (1 hour above 32°C / 90°F), at or below 4°C / 40°F. Use within 3 days and reheat to 74°C / 165°F or until steaming hot throughout.

Enjoy

Enjoy

  • Serve the parcels hot, when the rice is chewy and the mung-bean centre is soft.
  • Split one open to show the green herb dough and savoury filling.
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