Vietnamese Rice Cooker Sticky Rice with Mung Beans

Vietnamese xôi đậu xanh is sticky rice served with soft, lightly salted mung beans, often finished with crisp shallots. This rice cooker version makes the rice and beans in separate batches in the same cooker, so the grains stay tender and the beans mash easily; savory toppings and family variations are common.

Ingredients

2 cups (400 g) uncooked glutinous rice, also called sweet rice or sticky rice
½ cup (100 g) split, hulled mung beans
1¾ cups (420 ml) water for cooking the mung beans, plus 1 cup (240 ml) water for the rice
1 teaspoon fine salt, divided
2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or sunflower oil
3 scallions (about 30 g), thinly sliced
⅓ cup (20 g) packaged fried shallots, for serving
1 teaspoon (5 ml) fish sauce, optional, for a savory finish

Instructions

Soak the rice. Put the glutinous rice in a bowl and cover it with plenty of cool water. Swirl the grains with your fingers, pour off the cloudy water, and repeat until the water is less cloudy. Cover the rice with fresh water by at least 2 inches (5 cm) and soak for 4 hours at room temperature. If your kitchen is very warm or you want to soak it longer, refrigerate it. Soaking helps the grains cook evenly in a rice cooker; skipping it can leave the centers firm while the outside turns sticky.
Rinse the mung beans. While the rice soaks, rinse the split mung beans in a fine-mesh strainer until the water runs mostly clear. Put them in the rice cooker with 1¾ cups (420 ml) water and ½ teaspoon salt. Close the lid and run the cooker’s regular white-rice or cook cycle. This usually takes about 25–30 minutes, though models vary. When the cycle ends, taste a bean: it should crush easily between your fingers. If still firm, add 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water and run another short cook cycle or keep cooking according to your cooker’s instructions.
Mash the beans. Carefully transfer the cooked beans to a bowl, draining any noticeable excess water first. Mash them with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth but still a little textured. Stir in the remaining ½ teaspoon salt. Cover the bowl so the beans stay warm while you cook the rice. Wash and dry the cooker insert before the next batch.
Drain and measure the rice. Drain the soaked rice thoroughly in a strainer for 5 minutes; excess soaking water can make the finished grains gummy. Add the drained rice to the clean cooker insert and level it gently without packing it down. Pour in 1 cup (240 ml) fresh water. This deliberately modest amount suits soaked glutinous rice; avoid using the cooker’s usual white-rice water line, which may add too much water for this method.
Cook the sticky rice. Close the lid and start the regular cook cycle. Let the cooker finish without opening the lid repeatedly, which releases steam and can interrupt cooking. The cycle often takes about 30 minutes. When it switches to warm, let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Open the lid and check a few grains: they should be glossy, tender, and cohesive, with no hard center. If they are still firm, sprinkle 1–2 tablespoons (15–30 ml) water over the rice, close the lid, and cook for another 5–10 minutes.
Make scallion oil. Near the end of the rice’s resting time, warm the oil in a small saucepan over low heat until fluid but not smoking. Put the sliced scallions in a heatproof bowl and carefully pour the warm oil over them; they should sizzle gently. Stir and let the mixture stand for 2 minutes. If you prefer not to use a saucepan, microwave the oil in a microwave-safe cup until hot, in short intervals, then pour it over the scallions.
Fluff and assemble. Use a rice paddle or fork to loosen the rice gently, lifting from the bottom rather than stirring it into a paste. Spoon it onto a serving plate or into individual bowls. Add the warm mashed mung beans, drizzle with scallion oil, and scatter fried shallots over the top. Offer fish sauce at the table or drizzle the optional teaspoon over the whole dish for a more savory, salty finish.

Tips

Check the rice label. Choose glutinous rice, sometimes labeled sweet rice or sticky rice; it is a short- or medium-grain variety with a different texture from ordinary jasmine rice. Jasmine rice will cook with this method, but it will be fluffy rather than cohesive and is not a direct substitute for xôi.
Adjust for your cooker. Rice cookers differ in cycle length and how much steam escapes. Start with the listed water, then use the texture check at the end. A firm center calls for a small splash of water and a few more minutes; wet, mushy rice usually means too much water or insufficient draining after soaking.
Use split, hulled beans. These cook faster and mash more smoothly than whole green mung beans. If you can only find whole mung beans, they need a longer soak and cook and may not become as creamy in the time given; buy split yellow mung beans when possible.
Keep the topping separate until serving. Mixing the bean mash and shallots into the cooker can compress the rice and soften the crispy shallots. For leftovers, store the components together if convenient, but keep any extra fried shallots in a dry, airtight container so they retain some crunch.

Serving Suggestions

Serve xôi đậu xanh warm as a filling breakfast, a snack, or a simple side. A plate of sticky rice with mung beans and shallots is satisfying on its own, while sliced cucumber or lightly pickled vegetables add freshness and a crisp contrast. For a more substantial meal, put out grilled or roasted pork, Vietnamese-style sausage, or a fried egg alongside it; those are serving ideas rather than ingredients in this recipe. If offering fish sauce, set it on the side so each person can season their portion to taste.

The dish is best soon after cooking, when the grains are warm and the shallots are crisp. At a shared meal, transfer the rice from the cooker to a serving bowl rather than leaving it on the warm setting for hours, since prolonged warming can dry the edges. A little scallion oil over each portion helps keep the rice pleasant and fragrant without making it wet.

Variations

Vietnamese xôi comes in many savory and sweet forms, and toppings vary by region, household, and occasion. This version keeps the rice and mung beans simply seasoned, but you can make it richer by replacing ¼ cup (60 ml) of the rice’s cooking water with coconut milk. That gives the grains a gentle coconut aroma and a softer, richer finish; it is an optional variation, not required for the savory version.

For a sweet presentation, omit the scallion oil and fish sauce, and serve the rice and mung beans with 1–2 tablespoons (12–25 g) sugar and a pinch of salt stirred into the warm bean mash. A little toasted sesame or grated coconut can go on top. For a more deeply savory version, add extra fried shallots and serve with Vietnamese-style pork floss or sliced sausage. If using store-bought toppings, check their saltiness before adding more salt to the rice or beans.

You can also change the garnish without changing the cooking method. Chopped cilantro, toasted sesame seeds, or a few drops of soy sauce offer different flavors, though they move the dish away from the traditional shallot-and-scallion finish. Avoid adding a large amount of liquid seasoning directly to the rice: it can make the surface wet and interfere with the tender, distinct texture.

Storage and Reheating

Rice and cooked mung beans are perishable. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking, using shallow airtight containers so they cool promptly; do not leave the cooker on warm overnight or store the rice at room temperature. The rice and beans keep for 3–4 days in the refrigerator. Store fried shallots separately in a dry, airtight container, and refrigerate scallion oil in a covered container for up to 3 days.

To reheat, sprinkle a serving of rice with about 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water, cover it, and microwave in short intervals, stirring or turning it once, until steaming hot throughout. You can also reheat it in a covered steamer or a small covered pan over low heat with a splash of water. Reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C), as measured with a food thermometer, in keeping with USDA FSIS guidance; reheat only the portion you plan to eat. The rice will be softer after chilling, but gentle steaming usually restores a pleasantly sticky texture. Discard leftovers that have been left out for more than 2 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this without soaking the rice?
Soaking for 4 hours is strongly recommended because it hydrates the grains before the cooker cycle and makes even cooking more likely. Without soaking, the cooking time and water need can vary substantially by rice and cooker, and the outside may become overly soft before the middle is tender. If you are short on time, soak for at least 2 hours and check the texture carefully before serving.

Can I cook the rice and mung beans together?
It is more dependable to cook them separately. The beans need more water and become soft enough to mash, while soaked sticky rice needs a relatively small amount of water to keep its grains intact. Cooking them together can leave you with undercooked beans or wet rice. Using the same cooker in two batches takes longer, but gives you control over each texture.

What if my rice cooker has only one button?
A basic one-button cooker works well. Use its normal cook cycle for the beans, check that they are soft, then wash and dry the insert and use the same cycle for the drained rice. If the cooker switches to warm before the beans are tender, add a little water and restart the cook cycle only if your manual allows it. Keep the lid closed during the rice cycle and use the doneness check rather than relying only on the timer.

Can I use canned or frozen mung beans?
This recipe is written for dried split mung beans, which absorb the cooking water and mash into a cohesive topping. Canned beans are already cooked and often wetter and saltier, so drain and rinse them, warm them separately, and mash them with salt only after tasting. Frozen cooked mung beans can also be warmed and mashed, but their texture may be softer. Neither substitute needs the rice-cooker bean cycle.

Is glutinous rice gluten-free?
Despite its name, glutinous rice does not contain gluten; “glutinous” describes its sticky texture. If you need to avoid gluten, check the package and any toppings, especially fish sauce, soy sauce, and packaged fried shallots, because their ingredients and manufacturing practices can differ. Leave out any topping that does not meet your needs.

Can I double the recipe?
Only double it if your rice cooker has enough capacity for the soaked rice and the finished volume, with room for steam to circulate. A crowded insert can cook unevenly, and some cookers do not handle small or very large batches well. For a larger gathering, two separate batches are more reliable; keep the first batch covered and warm briefly while the second cooks, then serve promptly.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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