Xôi Xéo | Vietnamese Turmeric Sticky Rice with Mung Beans

Drain the soaked rice and toss it with the turmeric and salt, mixing by hand until every grain is evenly yellow. Do not add the turmeric after steaming; it will stay raw and powdery when mixed into cooked rice.

Steam the drained mung beans for 20 minutes, until soft enough to mash with your fingers. Mash them with the salt in a mortar or food processor until smooth. While hot, wrap the mixture in a clean cloth and press it firmly into a ball, then let it cool. A loose ball will crumble when sliced.

Slice the shallot very thinly and fry it in the oil over medium heat, stirring constantly, until golden. Immediately lift it out with a slotted spoon and spread it on a wire rack. The shallot will continue to darken and turn bitter if left in the pan. Strain and reserve the shallot-infused oil.

Loosely mound the rice in the upper tier of a steamer and make several holes through the center with the handle of a wooden spoon; steam cannot pass through tightly packed rice. Steam for 25 minutes, transfer it to a tray, and fluff it with a fork. Drizzle with 2 spoonfuls of shallot oil, mix, and steam for 12 minutes more.

Hold the cooled mung bean ball in one hand and use a sharp knife to shave thin flakes from its surface, letting them fall directly onto the rice. The slices should be paper-thin; thick slices become pasty in the mouth and weigh down the rice.

Scatter plenty of fried shallots over the top and drizzle with one spoonful of shallot oil. Serve the soy sauce in a small bowl on the side. Xôi xéo is eaten hot; once cool, the rice hardens, but steaming it for 5 minutes softens it again.