Xoi Dau Xanh, Vietnamese Mung Bean Sticky Rice
Xoi is Vietnamese sticky rice eaten by the fistful for breakfast or as a portable snack, sold from baskets on the backs of bicycles across the country. The classic pairing is glutinous rice with skinned split mung beans, topped with fried shallots or a sweet sesame crumble. This version swaps in soaked short-grain brown rice for a whole-grain base and leans on dates and toasted seeds to finish, so it stays sweet and satisfying without sugar, coconut, or salt.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups short grain brown rice, soaked 4 hours or overnight, drained
- 1/2 cup Mung beans, soaked 4 hours, drained
- 2 tbsp Sesame seeds
- 3 tbsp Peanuts
- 2 Medjool dates, pitted and finely chopped
Method
- Soak the rice and mung beans in separate bowls of water for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Soaking is what lets short-grain brown rice steam up tender and sticky rather than staying chalky at the core, and it is the closest whole-grain stand-in for the white glutinous rice xoi is normally built on.
- Drain both. Toss the rice and mung beans together and spread them in a heatproof shallow bowl or a steamer basket lined with parchment. Set over boiling water, cover, and steam for 35 to 45 minutes. Halfway through, fluff the mixture and sprinkle in a few tablespoons of water so the top layer cooks as evenly as the bottom. The rice is ready when a grain presses flat between two fingers with no hard center.
- While it steams, toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until they smell nutty and just start to color, about 2 minutes, then tip them out. Toast the peanuts the same way until golden, 3 to 4 minutes, and crush them coarsely.
- Stir the toasted sesame and peanuts together with the chopped dates. This is the topping, a version of the Vietnamese sesame-peanut sprinkle usually bound with sugar and salt. The dates supply the sweetness and a little chew, and toasting the seeds and nuts first is what turns the crumble from bland to fragrant.
- Scoop the hot sticky rice into bowls and press it lightly so it holds together. Shower the sesame-peanut crumble over the top and serve warm. It packs and reheats well, so make a double batch for the week.
Nutrition
Estimated per serving: 320 calories, 11 g protein, 7 g fiber, 10 mg sodium. Computed from USDA FoodData Central reference values for the main ingredients. This is an approximation, not a laboratory measurement. How these are computed.
Cost per serving is estimated from US national-average retail prices for cheap staple forms, using BLS dried-bean prices and USDA produce prices. Prices vary by store and season, so treat it as a guide, not a receipt. How this is computed.
