Vietnamese Mung Bean Coated Sticky Rice (Xoi Vo) (2024)

BySophie Published onApril 6, 2022May 2, 2024 Updated onMay 2, 2024

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Xoi Vo (Vietnamese Mung Bean Coated Sticky Rice) is one of the classic dishes of Hanoi. This humble dish is naturally vegan and gluten-free.

What is Xoi Vo?

Xôi vò is soft-chewy golden sticky rice which is coated with mung bean that has been steamed and processed into meal. Xôi means sticky rice, and vò implies the action of rubbing the rice with the mung bean powder.

The distinguishing feature of this dish is that once finished, the rice grains will separate from each other. They will not clump like in other sticky rice dishes such as xôi xéo or xôi gấc.

The mung bean coating gives the sticky rice hearty and wholesome flavors. We may be a bit biased here since we grew up with xoi vo, but this humble dish is surprisingly tasty and always fills us with nostalgia.

This dish is a classic dish of Hanoi, and other nearby Northern cities also enjoy it. In Saigon, xoi vo is less popular and is adapted to the locals’ taste with the addition of sugar and coconut milk. My recipe is traditional Northern-style xoi vo, which requires just sticky rice and split mung bean (you can buy it at Asian grocery stores or online).

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Equipment

To make this Vietnamese mung bean coated sticky rice, you will need a steamer basket. It is best if you have a bamboo steamer since its lid will not collect water condensation, and as a result, keep the bean and rice fairly dry. In case you can only use a stainless steel steamer, I recommend covering the lid with a kitchen towel to prevent condensation, just like I did in the recipe video.

How to Make Xoi Vo

First, soak the sticky rice as well as split mung beans in plenty of water for 2-4 hours. If you are short on time, you may use warm water to shorten the soaking time. After soaking, steam the mung beans until soft.

While cooking the mung beans, drain the rice really well. You can also use paper towels to absorb excess water. The goal is to dry the rice as much as possible to prevent too much stickiness later.

Once the mung beans are soft, remove from the steamer and let them cool slightly so that excess moisture can evaporate. Then grind/process finely in a food chopper. Now, toss half of the mung bean with the rice.

See Also

Xoi Types: A Complete Guide to Vietnamese Sticky Rice | VietnamnomadXôi Vò (Vietnamese Mung Bean Sticky Rice)Sticky Rice Coated with Mung Bean (Xoi Vo)Vietnamese Sticky Rice with Hand-Cut Mung Bean (Xoi Xeo)

Steam the rice until soft. Let it cool slightly, and then we will toss it with the remaining mung bean. If you see big clumps, you can use your fingers to separate the grains while rubbing them with the mung bean powder.

How to Serve Xoi Vo

Xoi vo is tasty on its own with natural sweetness, heartiness, and richness. Here are some additional ways to serve this mung bean sticky rice in Vietnam:

• Serve it with chè (Vietnamese sweet dessert soups), espcially mung bean pudding. You will often see it served this way in Northern-style traditional banquets, such as Lunar New Year celebration.
• Serve it with savory dishes such as roast chicken, braised pork belly, or roast pork. This way of eating xoi vo is more popular in the South.

⭐️ I’d love to hear what you think about the dish, so please feel free to leave a comment and a rating if you have tried it. New recipes are added every week so let’s connect onFacebook,Youtube,PinterestandInstagramfor the latest updates.You can find my collection ofVietnamese recipeshere.