Name: Xôi miền Bắc — Hải Phòng (Northern Vietnamese Mung Bean Sticky Rice)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 415 min
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 500 g glutinous rice, preferably a fragrant northern variety such as nếp cái hoa vàng; 200 g split, peeled yellow mung beans; 2.5 L cool potable water for soaking; discard after soaking; 4 g coarse salt; 25 ml neutral cooking oil; 2 L water for the steamer pot; keep below the basket and replenish if needed; 24 g whole white sesame seeds; 2 g fine salt

Northern Vietnamese xôi with glossy sticky rice, yellow mung beans and toasted sesame salt on a banana leaf. — Steamed sticky rice and tender mung beans with toasted sesame salt.

Yield 4 servings

Cook time About 40 minutes

Passive time 6 hours for soaking

Total time About 6 hours 55 minutes

Calories About 710 kcal per serving

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Xôi miền Bắc — Hải Phòng (Northern Vietnamese Mung Bean Sticky Rice)

Here, Xôi miền Bắc describes a broad northern Vietnamese sticky-rice preparation rather than one named Hải Phòng specialty. This home version uses xôi đậu xanh as its base: glutinous rice and split mung beans are soaked separately, steamed together, then tossed with a measured amount of oil so the grains stay tender and distinct. Sesame salt is served at the table. Northern cooking also pairs xôi with fried shallots or pork floss; this version keeps the topping simple and plant-based.

The soaking takes several hours, so plan ahead; the active cooking is about 40 minutes. A cloth-lined steamer basket keeps the rice and beans above the water, while one brief turn during steaming helps distribute heat. The finished xôi should be cohesive and chewy, with tender beans and no hard rice centers.

Practical

Tips for successUse split, peeled yellow mung beans; whole green beans need a different cooking time and have a firmer texture. Soak the rice and beans in separate covered bowls in the refrigerator. Drain them thoroughly before steaming so excess water does not make the rice wet. Line the steamer basket with a clean, damp cotton cloth and leave the rice mixture loose rather than packing it down. Keep the boiling water below the basket. Steam should cook the rice; the grains should not sit in water. Turn the mixture once, after the first 30 minutes, then cover it for the final 10-minute steam.

Ingredients

Sticky rice and mung beans

500 g glutinous rice, preferably a fragrant northern variety such as nếp cái hoa vàng
200 g split, peeled yellow mung beans
2.5 L cool potable water for soaking; discard after soaking
4 g coarse salt
25 ml neutral cooking oil
2 L water for the steamer pot; keep below the basket and replenish if needed

Toasted sesame salt

24 g whole white sesame seeds
2 g fine salt

Method

Rinse the glutinous rice briefly, then put it in a covered bowl with enough cool water to submerge it. Refrigerate and soak for 6–8 hours. In a separate covered bowl, soak the split mung beans in cool water in the refrigerator for 4 hours. The soaking periods overlap. Drain and discard both soaking waters.
Rinse and drain the soaked rice and beans thoroughly. Mix them with 4 g coarse salt. Line a steamer basket with a clean damp cotton cloth and spread the mixture evenly without pressing it down. Bring the steamer-pot water to a boil, set the basket above the water, cover and steam over steady high heat for 30 minutes.
Open the steamer once. Fluff and turn the rice and beans with a paddle, drizzle over 25 ml oil, and fold to distribute it. Cover and steam for 10 more minutes, until the rice is tender throughout and the mung beans are soft with no hard centers. If needed, continue steaming in 5-minute increments; keep the water below the basket.
While the rice steams, toast the sesame seeds in a dry skillet over low-medium heat, stirring for 3–5 minutes until fragrant and lightly golden. Cool, then crush coarsely with 2 g fine salt.
Fluff the finished xôi and divide it among four bowls. Serve warm with sesame salt on the side or sprinkled over the top. Keep cooked rice at room temperature for no longer than 2 hours. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in shallow, covered containers at or below 4°C / 40°F and use within 3 days. Reheat until steaming hot throughout and at least 74°C / 165°F.

Practical

Practical guidance

The rice and mung beans should be soaked in separate bowls because their soaking times differ. Since the soak is long, refrigerating them is a practical way to keep the water cool. A clean cotton cloth prevents small grains and softened beans from falling through the steamer holes. Keep the cloth damp, not dripping into the rice. If the basket is small, steam in two loose batches rather than compressing the mixture; crowded rice cooks unevenly. Sesame salt can be made while the xôi steams. Let the toasted seeds cool before crushing so they stay fragrant rather than oily. For a fuller savory meal, northern accompaniments such as pork floss (ruốc) or fried shallots are sometimes served with xôi; they are not included in this measured version.

Troubleshooting

The rice has hard centers: the soak may have been too short or the basket too crowded. Continue steaming in 5-minute increments and check again. The bottom is wet or gummy: the basket may have touched the water, or the rice was not drained well. Keep the basket above the water and drain thoroughly after soaking. The beans are still firm: use split, peeled mung beans and soak them separately for the full 4 hours; continue steaming until tender. The rice clumps heavily: fluff it gently when adding the oil at the 30-minute mark, without mashing the beans. The sesame tastes bitter: it was toasted too dark. Toast over low-medium heat and remove it as soon as it smells nutty and turns lightly golden.

Frequently asked questions

What is xôi đậu xanh? It is Vietnamese sticky rice steamed with split mung beans. The beans become soft and nutty while the rice stays chewy. This recipe serves it with toasted sesame salt. Is this a dish unique to Hải Phòng? This is a broad northern-style xôi preparation, not a specialty claimed as exclusive to Hải Phòng. It is cooked in that regional context without assigning the dish a single origin. Can I prepare it ahead? You can soak the rice and mung beans overnight in separate covered bowls in the refrigerator. Steam the mixture on the day you plan to serve it. Leftovers firm as they chill; re-steaming or careful reheating restores warmth and softness.

Nutrition per serving

These rounded estimates use generic food-composition values for dry rice, mature mung beans, sesame, oil and salt, divided among four servings. A generic white-rice value is used as a proxy for glutinous rice, and peeled mung beans may differ slightly from whole mature-bean records. Rice variety, water uptake and how much oil remains in the cooking vessel can change the result. This is an estimate, not a laboratory analysis.

Nutrition per serving

Serving sizeAbout 350–400 g cooked rice and beans with sesame salt
CaloriesAbout 710 kcal
CarbohydrateAbout 132 g
ProteinAbout 21 g
FatAbout 10 g
FibreAbout 10 g
SodiumAbout 600 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains sesame. Check ingredient labels and equipment for cross-contact if cooking for someone with a sesame allergy. “Glutinous rice” describes its sticky texture; it does not mean the rice contains gluten. Check package and cross-contact information for strict gluten-free needs. Soak the rice and beans covered in the refrigerator, then discard the soaking water. Use clean bowls, cloth and utensils. Cook the rice until tender through the center and the mung beans have no hard cores. Cooked rice can support Bacillus cereus growth if held at room temperature. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours at or below 4°C / 40°F, store covered in shallow containers, use within 3 days and reheat to 74°C / 165°F throughout.

Enjoy

Serve the sesame salt separately so each person can season their bowl to taste.
Eat the xôi warm, while the grains are soft and the sesame is fragrant.

Xôi miền Bắc — Hải Phòng (Northern Vietnamese Mung Bean Sticky Rice)

Practical

Ingredients

Sticky rice and mung beans

Toasted sesame salt

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

Frequently asked questions

Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving

Allergens and food safety

Enjoy

Vietnamese National Dishes

Chè đậu xanh (Vietnamese Mung Bean Sweet Soup)

Chè trôi nước (Vietnamese Glutinous Rice Balls in Ginger Syrup)

Bánh bèo chén Huế (Huế Steamed Rice Cakes in Small Bowls)