Xôi ba màu is sticky rice in three colours, all from plants: purple from lá cẩm leaves, green from pandan leaves and yellow from mung beans. The three layers are pressed together in a mould, and the result is a dish served to visitors on the first day of Tết, the Lunar New Year. Plan ahead: each half of the rice soaks overnight in its coloured water, so start the day before. The cooked mung bean also needs 1 hour in the fridge. Ingredients For the purple rice 1 bunch lá cẩm leaves (50 g) 1.5 bowls sticky rice (this is all the rice; half goes purple, half goes green) 3 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt, plus a little for the soaking water 1 teaspoon vegetable oil For the green rice 1 bunch pandan leaves (50 g) 2 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon salt, plus a little for the soaking water 1 teaspoon vegetable oil For the yellow layer ¼ bowl hulled mung beans 3 tablespoons sugar 1 teaspoon vegetable oil To finish A round mould Roasted sesame seeds and peanuts Extra sugar for sprinkling How to make xôi ba màu 1. Make the purple rice Pick the lá cẩm leaves off their stems and wash them. Put the leaves in a pot with ½ tablespoon water and cook until the water turns purple. Strain it, keep the purple water and throw the leaves away. Wash the sticky rice well. Take half of it and soak it overnight in the purple water with a little salt added. The next day, tip the rice into a basket and let it drain, then steam it. Stir it now and then with a wooden spoon, adding the sugar, salt and oil for the purple part. Keep steaming until the rice is soft, then turn off the heat. 2. Make the green rice Wash the pandan leaves and cut them into short pieces. Grind them with ½ tablespoon water, then strain to get the green water and throw away the leaf pulp. Soak the other half of the rice overnight in the green water with a little salt. The next day, drain it in a basket and steam it the same way: stir now and then with a wooden spoon, add the sugar, salt and oil for the green part and mix well. Cook until soft and turn off the heat. 3. Make the mung bean layer Rinse the mung beans 2–3 times and soak them in water for 1 hour. Put the beans in a pot with enough water to cover them and cook until soft. Turn off the heat, then grind the beans with the sugar. Return the ground beans to the pot and stir with a wooden spoon until the mixture is dry. Let it cool, then put it in the vegetable drawer of the fridge for 1 hour. 4. Layer the rice in the mould Work while the sticky rice is still hot, because that’s what makes the layers stick together. Put 1 spoonful of green rice into the mould and press it down firmly. With another spoon, add mung bean to the centre and press again. Finish with a layer of purple rice and press. Repeat until all the rice is used. 5. Unmould and serve Gently ease the mould off each portion with your hand. Just before serving, sprinkle a little sugar, roasted sesame and peanuts on top. Share:
