Mung Bean Sticky Rice (Xôi đậu xanh)

What is Mung Bean Sticky Rice?

Mung Bean Sticky Rice is a special part of my childhood. My family often eats xôi (sticky rice) for breakfast, and mung beans sticky rice is always an easy, cheap yet nutritious option. The coconut milk adds a slight creaminess to the rice.

On normal days, my family eats mung beans sticky rice with fried onions, a mix of roasted sesame seeds & peanuts, and some coconut flakes. For Lunar New Year and other special occasions, it's a side dish to accompany other savory dishes like Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly (Thịt Kho Tàu)!

My childhood memories consist of my mom soaking the glutinous rice the night before, then waking up to steam it for us to enjoy before going to school. The traditional method requires steaming the rice, but as a lazy cook, I opt for using the rice cooker, which makes it much easier and faster. I usually make a big batch, then refrigerate/ freeze it and use the leftovers as breakfast for several days.

Ingredients of Mung Bean Sticky Rice

The main ingredients in this recipe are split mung beans, glutinous rice, and water. These ingredients are a must for this recipe because:

• The glutinous rice makes the sweet taste and unique texture of this dish!
• I use the split (yellow) mung beans to add a creamy taste, and texture and boost the nutrient of the dish. I don't recommend using green mung beans as they take way longer to cook and require soaking. Using split mung beans also allows you to cut the preparation time by a lot and no soaking is required.

First, soak the glutinous rice overnight in plenty of water. After draining and rinsing the rice, add the split mung beans, and just enough coconut milk to cover the rice. Alternatively, you can substitute coconut milk with water. Then cook in a rice cooker or on a stove pot, and add a pinch of salt!

Cooking method

You can cook this using a steamer, stovetop, or rice cooker using the instructions as stated below.

Using the rice cooker:

• Add the coconut milk, rice and salt to your rice cooker pot.
• Turn on the rice cooker with the 'Cook' function and the rice should be ready when the sign turns to 'Warm'

Using the stovetop:

• Add all ingredients to the pot and bring to a boil.
• Once it has come to a boil, reduce to low heat and simmer until most of the water has evaporated. Use a spoon to mix occasionally to avoid sticking to the bottom.

The steamer:

• If you use this method, only add the coconut milk at the end after the rice is cooked.
• Put a lot of water in the bottom of your steamer, then line a cloth on top, add the rice, and steam for 30-45 minutes until the rice turns soft and fluffy. The more rice you use, the longer it will take to cook.
• Finally, mix the rice with coconut milk and salt and it will absorb the creamy coconut taste.

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📖 Recipe

If you enjoyed this recipe, also check out:

• Kem Xôi – Ice Cream Sticky Rice
• Thai Mango Sticky Rice
• Vegan Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly – Thịt Kho tàu chay