With a great flavor and appealing look, xoi com (steamed green sticky rice) is a Hanoi dish everyone should try when autumn comes.

Recommended places for trying xoi com in Hanoi • No.18, alley 99, Xuan Thuy road, Cau Giay district Hotline: (+84) 1234 502 353 - (+84) 1234 501 312 Email: dacsancomvong@gmail.com Website: http://comvonghanoi.net • No.26, Gia Ngu street, Hoan Kiem district

“The main ingredients to make xoi com are green sticky rice and lotus seeds which are Hanoi’s two specialties in autumn,” said Le Thinh, a xoi com seller on Gia Ngu street. Other ingredients are green bean and shredded coconut.

The green sticky rice must come from Vong or Me Tri village, known as the best green sticky rice producers in Hanoi.

It is simple to make the dish. First, steam the green beans and lotus seeds, and then pound the green beans into a paste. Next, steam fresh green sticky rice for 15 minutes. Finally, mix the steamed green rice with the green bean paste, steamed lotus seeds, shredded coconut and two or three spoons of sugar.

Xoi com, a typical dish of autumn in Hanoi.

Xoi com is a perfect combination of the softness of green sticky rice and the buttery taste of green beans and coconut plus a light scent of young rice. It is also a beautiful mixture of colors with the green rice, yellow beans and white coconut meat.

Xoi com is special because it can only be made in autumn during the season of green sticky rice. It has thus become a typical dish of autumn in Hanoi.

Story: Ngan Ha - Photos: Khanh Long