A Hanoi breakfast classic, xôi xéo layers golden sticky rice with tender mung beans, crisp fried shallots and their fragrant oil. The rice gets its warm color from turmeric in the soaking water, while the beans are steamed separately and mashed into a compact mound that can be shaved or crumbled over each portion. This home version keeps the familiar combination simple; vendors vary the fat and toppings.
A Hanoi breakfast classic, xôi xéo layers golden sticky rice with tender mung beans, crisp fried shallots and their fragrant oil. The rice gets its warm color from turmeric in the soaking water, while the beans are steamed separately and mashed into a compact mound that can be shaved or crumbled over each portion. This home version keeps the familiar combination simple; vendors vary the fat and toppings.
Rinse the rice until the water is nearly clear. Stir the turmeric into plenty of cold potable water, add the rice and soak it in the refrigerator for 6 hours or overnight. Rinse the split mung beans separately and soak them in cold water in the refrigerator for 4 hours or overnight. Drain both well and discard the soaking water.
Set a steamer over hard-boiling water. Spread the drained mung beans in the steamer and cook for 20–25 minutes, until completely tender and easy to crush. While hot, mix in 2 g salt and mash to a thick, cohesive paste. Shape it into a compact mound; if it is too soft to shave, crumble it for serving.
Toss the drained rice with 3 g salt and spread it in an even layer in the steamer basket. Steam over vigorously boiling water for 25–30 minutes, fluffing once halfway through. The grains should be glossy, tender and chewy with no hard, chalky centre. If still firm, sprinkle with 15 ml water, cover and steam for another 5–10 minutes.
While the rice steams, put the shallots and 180 ml oil in a small skillet. Set over medium-low heat and stir regularly as the oil warms. Fry for about 7–10 minutes until evenly golden and crisp; they will darken a little after removal. Lift them out with a slotted spoon and drain on a rack or paper towel. Cool the oil briefly, strain out any burnt pieces and measure 45 ml fragrant shallot oil for this recipe. Cool and save most of the remaining oil for another use.
Fold about 30 ml of the measured shallot oil through the hot rice. Keep the remaining 15 ml for finishing the portions. If the mung bean mound is firm, use a sharp knife to shave it into thin curls; otherwise crumble it into small pieces.
Divide the hot rice among four bowls or banana-leaf portions. Add one-quarter of the mung beans and fried shallots to each, then drizzle with the remaining measured shallot oil. Serve warm.
Make ahead: Soak the rice and beans in the refrigerator overnight. The mung bean mound and fried shallots can be prepared ahead and chilled separately; re-steam the rice until hot and soft before serving. Storage: Spread leftover rice and mung beans separately in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours (within 1 hour above 32°C / 90°F), at or below 4°C / 40°F. Use within 3 days. Reheating: Reheat rice and mung beans until steaming hot. Avoid repeated warming and cooling. Add shallots after reheating to keep them crisp. Oil: Let unused frying oil cool, strain it and save it for another cooking use; it is not necessary to pour all of it over the servings.
Rice is hard in the centre: The soak may have been too short or the steamer may not have been hot enough. Sprinkle with 15 ml water and steam for another 5–10 minutes. Mung beans are too loose to shave: Mash them while hot and press into a compact mound. If still soft, crumble them over the rice instead. Shallots turn bitter: Lower the heat and remove them when evenly golden; carryover heat darkens them further. Rice tastes oily: Use only the measured 45 ml shallot oil, folded and drizzled as directed; save the rest for another use.
Can I use whole mung beans? Peeled split mung beans cook faster and mash more evenly for this topping. Whole beans need a different soaking and cooking time. Can I use pork fat instead of shallot oil? Some vendors use animal fat; this recipe uses neutral oil scented with fried shallots. The fat and topping can vary by vendor.
Approximate estimate from dry glutinous rice, split mung beans, shallots, measured salt and about 60 ml oil expected to be eaten across the recipe. Most of the 180 ml frying oil is saved for another use. Actual oil uptake and portioning vary.
No major allergens are intentionally included, but check packaged rice, mung beans and oil labels for cross-contact. Cooked rice and beans should not sit at room temperature for long: spread leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 32°C / 90°F) at or below 4°C / 40°F. Use within 3 days and reheat until steaming hot.
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.
From Chợ Mới in An Giang, xôi phồng transforms steamed glutinous rice and mung beans into a crisp, golden puff with a soft, chewy centre. For this home version, the warm rice mixture is kneaded, chilled in a log, sliced into cakes and fried in manageable batches. A hollow centre is the familiar result, though the exact puff depends on the rice and how evenly each cake is shaped.
Bánh cốm is a square Hanoi sweet made with a soft green wrapper of processed green rice flakes and a smooth, sweet mung-bean centre. Often given as a gift and associated with engagement and wedding ceremonies, each cake brings together the grassy aroma of cốm, mellow beans and a light floral note. This measured home version uses dried cốm flakes; the fresh autumn rice is a different ingredient and does not behave the same way when cooked.
