Vietnamese National Dishes

Xôi trám Cao Bằng — black canarium sticky rice

Fragrant steamed glutinous rice is folded with softened black trám fruit, crisp-edged shallot and fish sauce for a tender, savory dish with natural purple-pink grains.

Vietnamese National Dishes
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Cao Bằng sticky rice with dark trám fruit on a leaf-lined tray at the right, with sesame-peanut salt and whole fruit nearby.
A wide table scene of xôi trám with its fruit and a small side dish.
Yield 4 generous servings
Cook time 35 minutes
Passive time 8 hours (refrigerated rice soak; fruit softening overlaps the final 45 minutes)
Total time 9 hours 5 minutes
Calories About 500 kcal per serving
Ingredients ↓
Overview

Xôi trám Cao Bằng — black canarium sticky rice

In Cao Bằng, xôi trám brings together sticky rice and the dark fruit called trám đen, especially the softer, nuttier trám nếp. The fruit is gently softened, peeled and pitted, then seasoned before it is mixed through hot rice. This version follows a documented savory preparation with shallot and fish sauce; other households serve xôi trám plain or with sesame-peanut salt, sausage or a separate minced-pork topping. The measured proportions here are a practical home version, not a single universal formula.

Practical

Practical

  • Tips for successChoose ripe, soft black trám nếp when available; firmer trám tẻ may remain less tender and less buttery. Keep the glutinous rice covered in the refrigerator during its 8-hour soak, then drain it thoroughly so it steams rather than boils. Soften the fruit in hot, not boiling, water. Check that the flesh yields easily before peeling and removing each hard pit. Spread the rice loosely in the steamer basket and maintain steady steam. The centre should be tender, not chalky. Taste the trám mixture before folding it through the rice; fish sauce brands vary in saltiness.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Steamed glutinous rice

  • 500 g uncooked white glutinous rice
  • 3 g fine salt
  • Cold potable water for soaking; discard after use
  • 1.5 L water for the steamer reservoir; keep below the basket

Softened and seasoned black trám

  • 190 g ripe black trám nếp fruit, whole and unpitted (about 95 g flesh after peeling and removing pits; actual yield varies)
  • 15 ml neutral oil
  • 15 g shallot, thinly sliced
  • 15 ml fish sauce
  • Warm potable water for softening the fruit; discard after use
Method

Method

Method

  1. Rinse the glutinous rice in several changes of cold water until nearly clear. Cover with plenty of cold potable water, cover the bowl and soak in the refrigerator for 8 hours.

  2. During the final 45 minutes of the rice soak, rinse the trám. Heat enough potable water to about 70°C / 158°F, remove the pan from the heat, add the fruit and cover. Soak for about 45 minutes, checking that the flesh has softened enough to separate from the pit. If still firm, continue in 10-minute increments. Do not use boiling water.

  3. Drain the fruit. Peel it and cut or pull away the softened flesh from each hard pit; discard the pits and soaking water. Set the flesh aside. Drain the soaked rice for 15 minutes, then mix it with 3 g salt.

  4. Bring the steamer-reservoir water to a steady boil, keeping it below the basket. Spread the rice loosely in an even layer, cover and steam over medium-high heat for about 30 minutes. Keep visible steam flowing. Taste a few grains; they should be tender and glossy, with no hard centre.

  5. While the rice steams, heat the oil in a small skillet over medium-low heat. Add the sliced shallot and cook, stirring, until fragrant and lightly golden, about 2–3 minutes. Add the softened trám flesh and fish sauce; toss gently for 2–3 minutes until glossy and aromatic.

  6. Transfer the hot rice to a warm bowl. Fold the trám mixture through it until the fruit coats the grains a natural purple-pink. Taste and serve hot. Keep the rice hot until serving. For leftovers, cool in shallow portions and refrigerate within 1 hour at 4°C or colder; use within 24 hours. Reheat only once until steaming hot throughout. Discard cooked rice left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Practical

Practical

Practical guidance

Make ahead: Soak the rice covered in the refrigerator overnight. The softened fruit is best prepared close to cooking so its flesh stays easy to mash and mix. Serving: Enjoy xôi trám on its own or with sesame-peanut salt. Cao Bằng sausage and a separate minced-pork topping are documented accompaniments, but are not included in this recipe or its nutrition estimate. Storage: Divide leftovers into shallow containers and refrigerate within 1 hour at or below 4°C. Use within 24 hours because cooked rice needs careful handling. Reheating: Reheat once until steaming hot throughout. Do not leave cooked rice at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Troubleshooting

Rice is hard in the centre: Drain it thoroughly before steaming and continue over steady steam in 5-minute increments. Rice is wet or gummy: The rice may not have drained enough or may be packed too tightly. Spread it loosely so steam can circulate. Trám flesh is firm: Continue the warm-water soak in 10-minute increments; very firm or unripe fruit may not soften like ripe trám nếp. The mixture tastes too salty: Fish sauce varies by brand. Next time, reduce the fish sauce slightly; do not add extra salt to the fruit. Rice loses its purple-pink color: Fold the fruit through while both components are hot and mash a small portion of the flesh into the rice to distribute its color.

Frequently asked questions

What is trám đen? It is a dark, edible canarium fruit used in northern Vietnamese cooking. It is not a European black olive. The softer trám nếp is preferred for xôi because its flesh is tender and nutty. Can I use firm black trám? You can try, but it may stay firmer and less buttery than ripe trám nếp. Soften it until the flesh separates easily from the hard pit. Can I steam the fruit with the rice? Some preparations combine the ingredients for steaming. This version softens and seasons the fruit separately, then folds it through cooked rice, following a documented savory approach. What can I serve alongside? Sesame-peanut salt or Cao Bằng sausage are documented accompaniments. They are optional and not included in the recipe quantities.

Nutrition per serving

These rounded estimates use the Vietnamese Food Composition Table 2007 values for glutinous rice and ripe black trám, applying the table's 50% refuse factor to the whole fruit. They include all 15 ml of oil, shallot, salt and representative fish-sauce values. Fruit flesh yield and condiment sodium vary, so the figures are approximate.

Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving

  • Serving sizeOne quarter of the recipe, approximately 250–300 g prepared
  • CaloriesAbout 500 kcal
  • CarbohydrateAbout 96 g
  • ProteinAbout 12 g
  • FatAbout 8 g
  • FibreAbout 2 g
  • SodiumAbout 600 mg
Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Contains fish (fish sauce). Check the fish-sauce label for wheat or other declared allergens and cross-contact warnings. Keep the rice covered in the refrigerator during its 8-hour soak. Use clean utensils for the fruit and rice, and discard fruit pits and soaking water. Keep cooked rice hot until serving. For leftovers, cool rice rapidly in shallow containers and refrigerate within 1 hour at or below 4°C; use within 24 hours and reheat once until steaming hot throughout. Discard cooked rice left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.

Enjoy

Enjoy

  • Serve the sticky rice warm while the fruit is fragrant and the grains are tender.
  • Offer sesame-peanut salt or a separate local sausage accompaniment at the table if desired.
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