Vietnamese Red Sticky Rice Is Too Easy (And Delicious) To Pass Up
Xôi gấc, also known as Vietnamese red sticky rice, is an important dish in Vietnamese culture. Though it only requires two ingredients to make, its place on the table during holidays and celebrations solidifies its importance for many who enjoy it.
The dish's stickiness comes from the glutinous or sticky rice, which becomes sticky once cooked thanks to its low amounts of amylose starch. It easily holds together and clings onto the flavors of other ingredients mixed into the dish, providing a soft and chewy texture.
The blood-red color of the rice dish comes from the "gấc" part of the name. Gấc is an Asian fruit sometimes referred to as baby jackfruit or sweet gourd. The pulp and seeds inside the fruit are a vibrant red. When mixed with the flavorful rice, it transforms the entire plate's color.
Overall, the dish tastes slightly sweet and fruity thanks to the gấc, though its flavors are more nuanced than pronounced. Thankfully, it's relatively easy to make.
How to make xôi gấc at home
To make xôi gấc, you'll need to allow some glutinous rice to soak in cold water for a minimum of four hours (though ideally overnight). Then, take the gấc and blend it into a paste. If you don't have access to fresh gấc, you may be able to find some frozen or sold already in a paste form. Combine the two ingredients, mix thoroughly, and steam the entire dish until the rice is soft and fluffy. These are the only two ingredients required to complete the recipe.
Because the dish features a gently sweet flavor, it pairs well with saltier foods, like pork or chicken. James Beard Award-winning chef and cookbook author Andrea Nguyen recommends serving it with shaking beef. Some may prefer to upgrade the dish by adding a bit of wine, chicken fat, avocado oil, or salt. If you want to sweeten things up, try tossing in some sugar and coconut milk when mixing the rice. To top off each serving, sprinkle some sesame seeds or shavings of coconut — choosing a sweet or savory option, depending on what flavors you want to enhance.
When is xôi gấc usually eaten?
Xôi gấc is commonly enjoyed when celebrating the Lunar New Year and weddings. The color red is considered good luck, so the vibrancy of the food symbolizes well wishes and happiness for the future during these events. The dish has also been used in religious ceremonies and as a spiritual tribute.
The dish isn't strictly reserved for more formal events, though. Xôi dishes made of steamed sticky rice are pretty popular as breakfast or snack options, and xôi gấc is no exception. The sticky red rice is often found for sale by street vendors in Vietnam.
If you want to explore more Vietnamese cuisine in your own kitchen, xôi gấc is a quick and delicious food to make and enjoy any time. And thanks to its mildly sweet flavor, it's easy to completely customize the recipe with additions to match your specific taste preferences.