“Xôi” (Stickly Rice)
If rice is Vietnam’s staple crop, “xôi” (sticky rice) is the nation's choice dish, which is typical in every Vietnamese family's daily life. “Xôi” which is made with a base of steamed sticky rice with many versions, can be made in savory – “xôi mặn”, or sweet versions – “xôi ngọt” and is a favorite breakfast, or can be eaten as popularly as night or early dawn snack or meal. It can be easily found anywhere from numerous roadside vendors in early morning and evening markets to traditional and upscale restaurants.
The cuisine is traditionally served in a banana leaf. Nowadays, it is served in many types in bowls, dishes, or even take-away convenient packages. There are any number of specialty “Xôi” restaurants, as well as push carts that stand on street corners or bicycles that go around the streets well past midnight, long after restaurants and other eateries have closed.
On special cases like full moon days, New Year holidays, weddings, death anniversaries, and other occasions, “Xôi” is a must-have dish on the feast’s platters. The ways to make sticky rice depend on the variety, family recipes, or individual creativity that housewives bring into play.
It will be a big miss if you come to Vietnam without trying “xôi”. The price of the dish is cheap and very convenient to enjoy. That’s why it is unreplaceable food for such above mentioned occasions.
Some popular “xôi” versions:
- Sticky rice colored yellow, topped with fried onion and ground mung beans.
- White sticky rice with steamed pieces of chicken.
- Sticky rice mixed with corn.
- Sticky rice steamed with peanut.
- Sticky rice with black beans.
- Sticky rice with mung beans.
- Sticky rice mixed with lotus seeds.
- Sticky rice with sliced coconut is sometimes added with sugar and sesame seeds.
- Sticky Rice with Bright Red Color from Gac fruit.
