Vietnamese National Dishes

Xôi miền Bắc

A Hanoi breakfast classic of golden, tender glutinous rice, fine shavings of steamed mung bean, crisp fried shallots and fragrant shallot oil.

Vietnamese National Dishes
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Wide table scene with the xôi xéo plate on the right and clear wooden tabletop on the left.
A wide morning-table composition leaves open space beside the plated sticky rice.
Yield 4 servings
Cook 60 minutes
Passive 6 hours 15 minutes for soaking and airing
Total 7 hours 40 minutes
Calories per serving About 650 kcal
Ingredients ↓
Overview

Xôi miền Bắc

Xôi is steamed glutinous rice eaten throughout Vietnam in many savory and sweet forms. This northern Hanoi version is xôi xéo: turmeric-gold rice topped with steamed yellow mung bean pressed into a firm piece and shaved into thin curls, then finished with crisp shallots and shallot oil. The broad name Xôi miền Bắc covers more than one regional preparation; this recipe presents one well-known Hanoi expression rather than a single formula for all northern sticky rice.

The long soak and two-stage steaming help the grains cook evenly and stay plump instead of turning gummy. The mung bean is cooked separately so it can be mashed and sliced over the rice. Shallots are fried slowly until crisp, and their infused oil seasons the rice. Serve the dish hot, while the rice is soft and the shallots still crunch.

Practical

Practical

  • Tips for successUse glutinous rice, sometimes labeled sweet rice; ordinary short-grain rice will not give the same texture. Soak the rice and beans in separate bowls and drain them well before steaming. Keep the steamer lid cloth taut so condensation does not drip onto the rice. Air the rice briefly between steaming rounds, then loosen it gently before steaming again. Fry shallots over medium-low heat and lift them when pale gold; residual heat will deepen their color.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Rice

  • 400 g dry glutinous rice, rinsed
  • 4 g ground turmeric
  • 1.5 litres cool drinking water for soaking the rice; discard after soaking
  • 3 g fine salt, for the drained rice
  • 30 ml drinking water, to refresh the rice before its second steaming

Mung bean

  • 200 g dry peeled split yellow mung beans
  • 1 litre drinking water for soaking the beans; discard after soaking
  • 1 g fine salt

Shallot oil and steaming

  • 80 g shallots, peeled, evenly sliced and air-dried for 10 minutes
  • 45 ml neutral canola oil; use all the shallot-infused oil in the rice and to finish
  • 1.5 litres drinking water for the steamer reservoir; not consumed
Method

Method

Method

  1. Rinse the rice until the water is nearly clear. Stir the turmeric into 1.5 litres cool water, add the rice and soak for 6 hours. Separately soak the mung beans in 1 litre water for 4 hours. Drain both well; season the rice with 3 g salt.

  2. Slice the shallots evenly and air-dry for 10 minutes. Warm the canola oil in a small pan over medium-low heat. Fry the shallots, stirring gently, until crisp and pale golden. Drain them and reserve all the infused oil.

  3. Bring 1.5 litres water in the steamer reservoir to a steady boil. Steam the rice in a cloth-lined basket for 35–40 minutes, opening a few vents through the mound. In a separate basket or heatproof bowl, steam the drained beans for 25–30 minutes until fully soft.

  4. Spread the partly cooked rice on a clean tray and air it for 15 minutes. While the beans are warm, mash them with 1 g salt until smooth and shape into a firm log. Cover so it does not dry out.

  5. Fluff the rice gently and sprinkle over 30 ml water. Drizzle in about 30 ml of the reserved shallot oil.

  6. Return the rice to the steamer for 10–15 minutes, until the grains are glossy, plump and tender with no chalky centre.

  7. Spoon the hot rice onto plates or clean banana leaves. Use a sharp knife to shave thin curls from the mung-bean log over the rice. Add the crisp shallots and the remaining shallot oil; serve promptly.

  8. Keep rice hot at or above 60°C / 140°F if holding for service. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 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.

Practical

Practical

Practical guidance

Soak the rice and beans while you sleep, then cook them the next morning. Fry the shallots shortly before serving for the best crunch. The mung-bean log can be shaped while warm and kept covered for a short time. If the rice must wait, keep it hot rather than leaving it at room temperature; rice softens as it cools and firms, so re-steam leftovers with a small splash of water.

Troubleshooting

Rice is gummy: It may have been over-soaked, poorly drained or steamed under a dripping lid. Drain thoroughly and keep the lid cloth from touching the rice. Rice has a chalky centre: The grains need more steaming. Return them to the steamer in 5-minute increments. Mung bean smears instead of shaving: It may be too wet or warm. Mash until smooth, press firmly into a log and let it set briefly under cover. Shallots turn bitter: The oil was too hot or they browned too far. Fry gently and remove them while pale gold.

Frequently asked questions

Can I soak the rice overnight? Yes. Keep it covered in cool water in the refrigerator if the room is warm, then drain it very well before steaming. Can I skip the mung bean? You can serve the golden rice with fried shallots and shallot oil, but the shaved mung bean is a defining part of this Hanoi-style xôi xéo.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

  • Serving sizeOne quarter of the finished batch, made with 100 g dry rice, 50 g dry mung beans, 20 g shallot and about 11 ml oil
  • Calories650 kcal
  • Carbohydrate117 g
  • Protein19 g
  • Fat12 g
  • Fibre12 g
  • Sodium410 mg
Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

No major regulated allergen is intentionally included. The recipe contains mung beans, a legume; check packaged ingredients for cross-contact statements. Glutinous rice means sticky rice and is not wheat gluten, but packaged products can be cross-contacted. Cooked rice is perishable: serve promptly or hold at 60°C / 140°F or above. Refrigerate leftovers in shallow containers within 2 hours, or within 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.

To finish

To finish

  • Serve the rice hot with the mung-bean curls and crisp shallots freshly added.
  • Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a shallow container and re-steam with a little water.
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