Xôi

Fact: In 2022, Vietnam set the record for having the most diverse xôi dishes in the world.

Xôi: Basic Information

Pronunciation

/soy/ or /ʃoj˧˧/

Alternative Name(s)

No

Dish Type

Glutinous rice dishes, rice dishes

Course

Dessert, main course

Mealtime

Anytime

Xôi: Origin and Region

Origin

Vietnam

Continent’s Region

Southeast Asia

Country’s Region

Nationwide Origin

Associated Region

Unspecified

Popular Xôi Variations

Xôi Mặn

A popular savory sticky rice with a diverse range of meat toppings

Xôi Cá

An adaptation where sticky rice is served with fish
The stick rice with anchovy is a specialty of Nha Trang

Xôi Chim

A version of sticky rice with bird meat
A delicacy of Kim Bang, Ha Nam

Xôi Gà

A sticky rice with chicken

Xôi Hoàng Phố

A soft version known for its bold taste of fermented shrimp paste

Xôi Thịt Kho

A sticky rice dish served with braised pork and savory broth

Xôi Cuộn

A sticky rice specialty with the fillings rolled between the rice

Xôi Chiên

A crispy and fried specialty of xôi

Xôi Măng

A sticky rice with bamboo shoots

Xôi Trứng Kiến

A specialty of Lai Chau and the Tày people

Xôi Gấc

Xôi gấc is a sticky rice specialty in Vietnam that utilizes gac fruit to create a vibrant red color.

Xôi Đậu Phộng

Xôi đậu phộng is a Vietnamese dish consisting of sticky rice mixed with peanuts.

Xôi Khúc

A signature xôi dish of the North region in Vietnam

Xôi Lá Cẩm

Xôi lá cẩm is a Vietnamese sticky rice dish colored and flavored with the natural purple dye from magenta plant leaves.

Xôi Lá Dứa

Xôi lá dứa is a Vietnamese sticky rice dish flavored with pandan leaves, giving the grains a green color.

Xôi Bắp

Xôi bắp is a Vietnamese dish of sticky rice with corn, often served with sesame seeds and coconut milk.

Xôi Ngũ Sắc

Xôi ngũ sắc is a Vietnamese sticky rice dish known for its vibrant array of five colors.

Xôi Sắn

Sticky rice with cassava

Xôi Nước Dừa

Sticky rice with coconut milk

Xôi Sầu Riêng

Sticky rice with durian

Xôi Thập Cẩm

Xôi thập cẩm is a Vietnamese mixed sticky rice dish, typically topped with a variety of ingredients.

Xôi Vị

A sweet sticky rice that combines glutinous rice with shredded coconut

Xôi Trắng

Plain sticky rice with simple scallion oil

Xôi Vò

A specialty of the North
Sticky rice mixed with mung bean

Xôi Xéo

Xôi xéo is a Vietnamese sticky rice dish consisting of mung bean paste, fried shallots, and sometimes accompanied with meat.

Xôi Xoài

A sweet sticky rice dish with mango

Xôi Vừng Dừa

Sticky rice with sesame and coconut

Xôi Đậu Xanh

Sticky rice cooked with mung bean

Xôi Đậu Đen

Sticky rice with black bean

Xôi Chiên Phồng

Offers a huge ball
Puffed and crispy

Xôi Lam

Cooked in bamboo tubes

Xôi Pate

A savory sticky rice with pate

Xôi Dừa

Sticky rice with coconut

Xôi Nếp Than

Made with black glutinous rice

Xôi Giò

Sticky rice with Vietnamese pork sausage

Xôi Ruốc

Sticky rice with dried shredded pork

Xôi Nén

Densely packed sticky rice served with pork sausage

Xôi Mít

Sticky rice stuffed in jackfruit for dipping in coconut milk

32 more Show Less

Xôi: Ingredients and Preparation

Main Ingredients

Glutinous rice, sweet or savory toppings

Main Cooking Method

Steaming

Preparation Process

The sticky rice is cooked and kept warm in a steamer before incorporating with sweet or savory ingredients.

Xôi: A Deep Dive

Cultural Significance

A traditional sticky rice dish in Vietnam

Taste

Savory, sweet

Texture

Sticky, soft

Aroma

Varies based on ingredients

Color

Varies based on ingredients

Serving Style

On a plate, wrapped in leaves, or placed in plastic boxes

Serving Temperature

Hot or warm

Accompaniment

No accompaniment

Occasions

New Year, festivals

Seasons

Year-round, Spring

Special Diets

Gluten-free

Calories

499 calories, according to data of MyFitnessPal for a 100-gram serving of xôi mặn.

Popularity

Vietnam

Popular Similar Dishes

1. Pulut Inti
2. Suman

Popular Dining Area

Not specified in the source

Xôi is a traditional Vietnamese glutinous rice dish that is available in sweet or savory form. Typically, xôi is a popular street treat for breakfast or a dessert that is enjoyed widely across the country. Therefore, this sticky rice dish has numerous versions made using different ingredients.

For the sweet adaptations, xôi offers toppings like mung bean, fruits, corn, or beans. Thanks to this, the sticky rice itself also comes in various colors. As for the savory renditions, locals use all sorts of meat, sausages, pork floss, pate, and many more to diversify the flavor.

To understand xôi, it’s important that you go through some of the well-known versions of xôi along with the basic methods of cooking this specialty in Vietnam.

Later on, there are many pros and cons that you should know about eating xôi along with some common inquiries about the dish. Plus, make sure to savor some more dishes that share the same concept as xôi.

Xôi Images

What Are the Variants of Xôi in Vietnam?

Xôi in Vietnam comes in all forms of dishes that offer an endless experience. For that, allow me to guide you through the various versions of xôi in Vietnam.

With various adaptations of xôi, make sure you spend your time researching about the methods of making xôi by the locals.

How to Make Vietnamese Xôi?

Since xôi has various adaptations, there are endless ways to recreate xôi. However, let me keep it simple by showing you the standard methods of making xôi mặn and xôi ngọt:

Xôi Mặn:

Step 1: Soak and Steam the Rice

Begin by soaking glutinous rice, then steam it until it becomes tender and sticky.

Step 2: Prepare the Toppings

Cook your choice of meat (such as chicken, pork, or char siu) and prepare other toppings like fried shallots, eggs, pork floss, pate, or scallion oil.

Step 3: Assemble the Dish

Once the rice is cooked, season it lightly with salt. Top the sticky rice with the toppings.

Step 4: Seasoning

Finally, season the dish with a bit of soy sauce for an extra flavor boost.

Xôi Ngọt:

Step 1: Soak and Steam the Rice

Soak the glutinous rice before steaming it until it’s sticky and tender.

Step 2: Prepare the Sweet Coconut Mixture

While the rice is steaming, prepare a sweet mixture using coconut milk and sugar, heating it until the sugar dissolves.

Step 3: Combine Rice with Coconut Mixture

After the rice is cooked, gently mix it with the sweet coconut mixture. If using beans (like mung, black, or red beans), they can be mixed in at this stage.

Step 4: Serve

The sweet sticky rice can be served warm and garnished with toppings like sesame seeds, shredded coconut, or even slices of ripe mango for a refreshing touch.

After knowing the basic procedures of making xôi both sweet and savory, I suggest looking into the benefits and drawbacks of eating this Vietnamese specialty.

Pros and Cons of Eating Xôi

Here are a few features that you should know about consuming xôi, all well presented in a table for you to keep track:

Aside from the positive and negative aspects of eating xôi, this glutinous specialty also raises some concerns for many, especially people who are new to Vietnamese cuisine.

Xôi FAQs