Black Beans & Sticky Rice (Xôi Đậu Đen)

I’ve been cleaning out our house like a mad woman and in the process found two Provident Pantry cans full of dried black beans. I’m not talking about the normal can size you buy in the grocery store. I’m talking about two #10 cans filled with dried black beans. That’s a lot of black beans!!! The challenge is to find dishes to make with all this black beans.

When it comes to Vietnamese food, there are a handful of dishes that use black beans. One of my favorite is the black beans and coconut milk dessert. Another common dish is the black beans and sticky rice (a.k.a. xôi đậu đen). There are many versions of sticky rice and beans dishes in Vietnam. This is just one of them. The other common dish combines sticky rice and mung beans.

My mom only made these dishes for special occasions such as a death anniversary or the Lunar New Year. Black beans & sticky rice is a very versatile dish. You can make it savory or sweet, pair it with anything you like, or just eat it by itself as a snack. Plus, it is so easy to make & delicious. You can both sticky rice and black beans in the steamer…at the same time… and let it do its thing until it’s done. No need to “babysit” it. My kind of cooking.

How to make black beans & sticky rice?

You can make this dish using a rice cooker, but the downside is it will turn out a bit soggy. The other way is to use a steamer. It’s by far the easiest way because it leaves the sticky rice nice and chewy, not soggy. You will of course need a steamer, sticky rice, dried black beans and salt.

Another trick to making the sticky rice nice and chewy is to wrap the lid in a towel before putting the lid on the pot. This way the towel will absorb the condensation from the steam instead of dripping back down into the sticky rice making it soggy.

Traditionally any Vietnamese “xôi” or sticky rice dishes will only be seasoned with salt, making them a bit bland. This is why people add different toppings/garnishes to these types of dishes.

However, if you feel the need to add other seasonings, go ahead. I’m going to add garlic powder and onion powder to the dish. It will save my husband the trouble of having to drown it in garlic powder and onion powder later on🤣.

Toppings for black beans & sticky rice

After the black beans & sticky rice is cooked and mixed thoroughly, you can dress it up how you want. Some common savory toppings include toasted sesame seeds and salt, roasted peanuts, sesame salt (a mixture of toasted sesame seeds and salt) and/or fried onions.

You can also make it sweet by adding a sprinkle of sweetened shredded coconut and sesame salt…my favorite way to eat it because it’s sweet and salty.

Now if you ask my husband, he will tell you that the best way to eat it is with shredded cheese and a sprinkle of hot sauce…and this is why I seasoned it with garlic powder and onion powder.

How to store it?

This dish does not require any special storing instructions. Just put it in an airtight container and reheat in the microwave as needed. Easy peasy.

The next time you’re family wants beans and rice, give this sticky rice & black beans recipe a try & let everyone pick their own topping.