Xoi Khuc (Sticky Rice and Mung Bean Dumplings)
Xôi Khúc, or Vietnamese Sticky Rice and Spinach Balls, is a popular dish from Northern Vietnam. Spinach dumplings filled with mung bean and pork belly are steamed with sticky rice for a chewy, sweet, and savory delight. Though there are a lot of steps, this homemade recipe is easier than it looks!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1¼ cup short grain sweet rice
- ½ cup peeled and split mung beans
- ⅔ cup fresh spinach very tightly packed
- 1 cup hot water
- ¾ cup + 2 tbsp sweet (glutinous) rice flour (see notes)
- 2 tablespoon rice flour
- 1 teaspoon oil plus more for hands
- 2 oz pork belly diced
- ½ shallot minced; about 2 tbsp
- 1-2 green onion thinly sliced and chopped
- ¾ teaspoon white granulated sugar
- Salt and pepper
- Fried shallots for garnish
Instructions
- Soak the sticky rice. Add sticky rice to a large bowl and cover with 1-2 inches of water. Let soak for 8 hours, best if overnight. Alternatively, you can soak in hot water for 4-6 hours.
- Prepare the dough. To a blender, add spinach and 1 cup hot water. Blend on low until smooth, then pour through a sieve or colander. You should have about ¾ cup green liquid. Discard the pulp.
- To a bowl, add sticky rice flour, rice flour, oil, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Give it a quick stir and then make a well in the middle. Pour in half the spinach water and mix well. It'll be dry and crumbly at first. Add 1 tablespoon green water until moist BUT be careful not to add too much or else dough will be too sticky. I usually add another a total of ½ cup liquid. Knead until smooth and texture resembles play-doh. Cover with a towel and let rest for at least 30 minutes.
- Cook mung beans. To a pot, add mung beans, ½ teaspoon salt, and 2½ cups water. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium. Let simmer uncovered for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beans are bloated and completely soft. After cooking, beans should still be mostly submerged in water. Remove from heat without draining and set aside.
- Cook the filling. Add pork belly, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper to a cold, dry skillet. Cook over medium-high heat for 3-4 minutes until browned, then add shallots. Cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until translucent.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer cooked mung beans from pot to skillet with pork belly. Use flat side of your spoon to mash mung beans until it becomes a paste, about 5-7 minutes.
- Then add sugar, green onion, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Stir well and season to taste. Turn off heat and set aside to let cool.
- Assemble dumplings. Once the yellow mung bean mixture is cool enough to handle, divide into 5 portions, about 3 tablespoon each. Roll each one into a ball.
- Divide the green dough into 6 portions, about 1½ tablespoon each. Five will be for each one of the yellow balls and the sixth will be the "scrap" pile.
- To assemble, rub hands with a thin layer of oil. Flatten one piece of green dough against the palm of your non-dominant hand. Place a yellow ball in the middle of the dough, then cup your hand and gently pull the sides of the green dough around the ball. Keep wrapping until seams are connected, pulling dough from the "scrap" ball as needed to completely cover the filling. Roll between hands to form into a ball and set aside. Repeat with the remaining 4 portions.
- Assemble the steamer. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Meanwhile, drain the sticky rice and add to large bowl, along with ½ teaspoon salt. Mix and pour ⅓ of the rice into the bottom of lined steamer.
- Roll each one of the dumplings in the sticky rice, pressing lightly for it to adhere. Place into steamer, leaving space between each one. Then top with remaining sticky rice. Cover with damp cheesecloth or paper towel.
- Assemble your steamer on top of the boiling water and bring heat down to medium. Steam for 40 minutes or until rice is plump and lightly translucent. Let cool slightly before serving and topping with fried shallots.
Notes
- For detailed photos and instructions, view the "How To" section in the post above.
- Sticky (glutinous) rice: This short-grain rice has more starch than typical rice, which makes its extra chewy and sticky when cooked. It can be labeled as sweet, glutinous, or sticky rice. My grandma and mom have been using the same brand for years, Koda Farms Sho-Chiku-Bal.
- Fried shallots: You can purchase them or make your own with my recipe that's in Taiwanese Turkey Rice.
- Use a food scale for accuracy: Using the right amount of sweet rice and regular rice flour is very important. For best results, use a scale and measure to the grams.
- Substitutions/Variations:
- Since the spinach is mainly used for color, feel free to replace it with any other leafy green vegetable. Be careful because some cooked vegetables become bitter (such as kale, mustard or collard greens, or arugula).
- Replace pork belly with bacon or pancetta for smoky, more intense porky flavor. You could also use ground pork or chicken.
- To make vegetarian Xôi Khúc, leave out the pork belly or replace with minced mushrooms.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ball | Calories: 326kcal | Carbohydrates: 54g | Protein: 10g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.004g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 19mg | Potassium: 96mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 440IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 22mg | Iron: 2mg