Xoi

Xoi (sticky rice or glutinous rice) is one of Vietnam's most ancient and fundamental foods, eaten daily by millions as a breakfast staple, snack, and ceremonial offering. Vietnamese sticky rice is prepared by soaking glutinous rice for several hours or overnight, then steaming it (never boiling) in a cloth-lined steamer or bamboo basket until each grain is tender, glossy, and pleasantly chewy. What makes xoi remarkable is its incredible versatility: it serves as a blank canvas for dozens of different toppings, from savory combinations like shredded chicken, Chinese sausage, fried shallots, and pate to sweet preparations with mung bean paste, coconut, sugar, and tropical fruits. In the mornings, xoi vendors are found on virtually every street corner in Vietnamese cities, ladling scoops of steaming sticky rice into banana leaf wraps or styrofoam containers for workers and students on their way to start the day. Xoi is also an essential ceremonial food, present at weddings, funerals, ancestral worship, and Tet celebrations.

Region: Nationwide (ancient Vietnamese tradition)

Sticky rice cultivation in Vietnam dates back thousands of years, with archaeological evidence suggesting that glutinous rice was one of the earliest crops cultivated in the Red River Delta. Xoi is among the oldest dishes in Vietnamese cuisine, predating many of the noodle soups and stir-fries that define modern Vietnamese food. In ancient Vietnamese society, sticky rice held both practical and spiritual importance: it was a calorie-dense food that sustained farmers through hard labor, and it was offered to ancestors and spirits in religious ceremonies. The legendary Vietnamese creation myth involves banh chung (square sticky rice cakes) and banh day (round sticky rice cakes), linking sticky rice to the very origins of Vietnamese civilization. Over centuries, the many varieties of xoi developed as different regions and communities created their own toppings and preparations using local ingredients.

Xoi occupies a unique position in Vietnamese culture as both an everyday food and a sacred offering. On any given morning, millions of Vietnamese start their day with a packet of xoi from a street vendor — it is affordable, portable, filling, and delicious. But sticky rice also features prominently in Vietnamese spiritual life: it is offered at ancestral altars, brought to temple ceremonies, and is central to the Tet celebration in the form of banh chung (square sticky rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves) and banh tet (the cylindrical southern equivalent). Red xoi gac is considered lucky and is present at weddings and celebrations. The Vietnamese creation myth tells of Prince Lang Lieu, who invented banh chung using sticky rice to honor his parents and the earth — linking this humble grain to the origins of Vietnamese civilization itself. In this way, xoi bridges the gap between the sacred and the everyday in Vietnamese food culture.