Xôi Mặn/Xôi Lạp Xưởng (Savory Sticky Rice) is a cherished breakfast classic in Southern Vietnam.
In this recipe, I’ll guide you through two simple ways to make this delicious dish: a quick, fuss-free method with the Instant Pot and the traditional stovetop approach.
Table of Contents
What is Xôi Mặn?
In Vietnamese, Xôi Mặn literally means “savory sticky rice,” as it’s topped with a variety of savory ingredients like liver pâté, Vietnamese ham (chả lụa), and pork floss (chà bông).
It’s also often referred to as Xôi Lạp Xưởng, since Lạp Xưởng (Lap Cheong/Chinese sausages) are one of the most popular and iconic toppings for this dish.
Xôi Mặn is popular street food thoughout the Southern region, while in the northern regions, people are more familiar with Xôi Thịt Kho (sticky rice with Vietnamese braised pork & eggs).
Origin
Southern Vietnamese cuisine draws influences from Southern Chinese, especially Cantonese flavors. In Vietnam, Chinese-Vietnamese people are referred to as Người Hoa (Hoa People, 華人/唐人).
The first major influx of Chinese settlers to Southern Vietnam occurred during the 17th century under the Nguyễn Lords.
This immigration wave peaked during the era of the Republic of Vietnam. To this day, Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) is home to a thriving Chinatown (Chợ Lớn), with a substantial Chinese-Vietnamese community.
In addition to classic Chinese dishes like dim sum (Har Gow, Siomai) and wonton soup, a range of Chinese-Vietnamese fusion dishes has emerged, such as Bò Bía (similar to Popiah), Bánh Bột Chiên (similar to turnip cake and Chai Tow Kway), and Cơm Gà Hải Nam (the Vietnamese version of Hainanese chicken rice).
As for Xôi Mặn, you’ll find it quite similar to Nuo Mi Fan or Lo Mai Fan (糯米飯, Chinese Sticky Rice) and You Fan (油飯, Taiwanese Sticky Rice).
Ingredients
Sticky rice:
You can use any types of sticky rice. Sticky rice is also known as sweet rice or glutinous rice. Despite the name “glutinous,” it is entirely gluten-free.
Sticky rice is essential for this dish and cannot be substituted with Jasmine rice or Sushi Short-grain rice.
While sticky rice is a staple for daily meals in Thai and Lao cuisines, in Vietnamese cuisine, it’s popular for breakfast and significant family events like weddings, Lunar New Year, and death anniversaries (đám giỗ).
In Vietnamese, sticky rice can be referred to as Xôi (steamed sticky rice), Cơm Nếp (when cooked in water like regular rice), or Gạo Nếp/Nếp (uncooked sticky rice).
Vietnamese people rarely eat plain steamed sticky rice; it’s typically paired with other ingredients to enhance its flavor, texture, and color. Besides Xôi Mặn, some popular sticky rice dishes in Vietnamese cuisine include:
Sticky rice is also used to make desserts like Chè Chuối Nướng (grilled banana sticky rice) or to prepare the orange dipping sauce (like in Brodard restaurant, CA) for Nem Nướng (grilled sausage skewers).
Toppings:
There are various toppings for Xôi Mặn, you could choose according to your preferences:
- Chinese Sausages: diced into small pieces (could be substituted with SPAM or Salami…) (recommended)
- Chả Lụa (Vietnamese ham): sliced into thin strips (recommended)
- Ham: sliced into strips
- Quail eggs: boiled
- Egg omelette: sliced into thin strips (recommended)
- Tôm Khô (Dried shrimps): soaked to rehydrate, then chopped
- Shredded cooked chicken
- Fried crispy shallots
- Pork floss
- Vietnamese liver pâté (recommended)
- Tép Khô (tiny shrimp crisps)
- Mỡ Hành (Vietnamese green onion oil) (highly recommended)
Seasonings:
- Cooking oil: for sautéing the toppings
- Soy sauce, sugar, and chicken powder.
Vegan Topping Options:
For the vegan version, you can easily opt for:
- Vegan ham
- Vegan sausage
- Asian Mushrooms (Shiitake & Oyster Mushrooms are the best choices)
- Fried tofu
- Seaweed
- Choi poh (Chinese preserved radish)
Instant Pot Method
Cook the sticky rice in Instant Pot
This method is similar to my recipe for Instant Pot Sticky Rice (Thai Khao Niao):
- Wash and rinse the sticky rice several times until the water runs clear. Soak the sticky rice in boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain the sticky rice and lightly season it with ⅓ tsp chicken powder, ¼ tsp sugar and 1 tsp cooking oil. Mix well.
- Pour 1.5 cups (360ml) water into the pot. Place the steamer with the sticky rice inside the pot, ensuring the water doesn’t touch the rice. Use a chopstick to create some holes among the rice to allow for better ventilation during steaming.
- Close the lid. Cook using the “Steam” mode with high pressure for 20 minutes, then let it naturally release for another 20 minutes.
Make the Scallion Oil
You can prepare the scallion oil and toppings while the sticky rice is cooking.
- In a heat-resistant bowl, mix chopped green onions with salt and sugar.
- Heat up the cooking oil in a saucepan until it reaches the smoking point. Pour the hot oil over the green onions. Mix well and set aside.
Prepare the Toppings
- In the same saucepan, sauté all the toppings for about one minute (except for pork floss and dried tiny shrimp crisps, if using). Season them with soy sauce and sugar according to your taste.
- When the Instant Pot finishes cooking, open the lid, and mix the toppings and tiny shrimp crisps with the sticky rice. Cook the sticky rice using the “Sauté” mode on high heat for about 2 minutes.
Serve
- When serving, place the sticky rice in a bowl or on a plate. Drizzle scallion oil over the sticky rice, and add liver pate and pork floss, if using. Enjoy!
Stovetop Method
- After thoroughly washing and rinsing the sticky rice, soak it in cold water overnight or for at least 5 hours. If you’re in a hot and humid climate, I recommend refrigerating the rice while it soaks to prevent fermentation.
- When it’s time to cook, wash and rinse the rice again. Drain it well and lightly season the sticky rice with 1 tsp cooking oil, ¼ tsp sugar, and ⅓ tsp chicken powder.
- Place the sticky rice in a steamer and create some holes among the rice to allow for better steaming. Steam the sticky rice on medium heat for 35-45 minutes. During steaming process, open the lid every 15 minutes and gently stir the sticky rice. It could ensure even cooked sticky rice.
- The next steps are similar to Instant-Pot Method.
More Easy Instant Pot Recipes
Don’t forget to check out my compliation of Asian Instant Pot Recipes , if you love Asian food and are a fan of this convenient cooking mate.
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Xôi Mặn | Xôi Lạp Xưởng (Chinese Sausage Sticky Rice)
Equipment
- 6-quart Instant Pot
- 1 Steamer (fitting inside your Instant Pot)
Ingredients
The savory sticky rice
- 1 cup sticky rice (220g)
- 1.5 cup water (360ml)
- ⅓ tsp chicken powder
- ¼ tsp sugar
- 1 tsp cooking oil
Toppings for Xôi Mặn
- 1 link Chinese sausages (Lạp xưởng) (or SPAM, Salami…) (diced into small pieces)
- Vietnamese ham (Chả lụa) (thinly sliced)
- Ham (thinly sliced)
- Vietnamese Liver Pâté
- 2 tbsp Tiny Shrimp Crisp
- Soy Sauce (to your taste)
- Sugar (to your taste)
- Chicken Powder (to your taste)
Other topping suggestions
- Shredded cooked chicken
- Dried shrimps (soak to rehydrate, then chop)
- Egg Omelette (sliced into strips)
- Pork floss
- Boiled quail eggs
- Fried crispy shallots
Scallion oil
- 2 sprigs scallions
- ¼ cup cooking oil (60ml)
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch sugar
Instructions
Cooking with Instant Pot:
- Wash and rinse the sticky rice thoroughly until the water runs clear. Soak the sticky rice in boiling water for about 30 minutes.
- After draining the sticky rice, lightly season it with ⅓ tsp chicken powder, ¼ tsp sugar and 1 tsp cooking oil.
- Transfer the seasoned rice into a steamer that fits inside your Instant Pot. For better ventilation during steaming, use a chopstick to create small holes among the rice grains.
- Add 1.5 cups (360ml) water into the Instant Pot. Carefully place the steamer with the sticky rice inside the pot, ensuring that the water level does not reach the rice.
- Securely close the lid of the Instant Pot. Cook the rice using the "Steam" mode with high pressure for 20 minutes, and then allow it to naturally release pressure for another 20 minutes.
Preparing the Scallion Oil (make this while the sticky rice is cooking):
- In a heat-resistant bowl, combine chopped green onions with salt and sugar.
- Heat the cooking oil in a saucepan until it reaches the smoking point. Carefully pour the hot oil over the green onions. Mix well and set aside.
Preparing the Toppings:
- In the same saucepan, sauté all the toppings for about one minute (except for pork floss and dried tiny shrimp crisps, if using). Season them with soy sauce and sugar to your liking.
- Once the Instant Pot finishes cooking, open the lid, and combine the toppings and tiny shrimp crisps with the sticky rice. Cook the sticky rice using the "Sauté" mode on high heat for approximately 2 minutes.
Serving:
- When serving, place the sticky rice in a bowl or on a plate. Drizzle Vietnamese scallion oil over the sticky rice, and add Vietnamese liver pâté and Vietnamese pork floss, if using. Enjoy!
Cooking on Stovetop:
- After washing and rinsing the sticky rice, soak it in cold water for at least 5 hours (or overnight). In a hot and humid climate, I advise to refrigerate the rice during soaking to prevent fermentation.
- When cooking, wash and rinse the rice again. Drain it well and lightly season the sticky rice with 1 tsp cooking oil, ¼ tsp sugar, and ⅓ tsp chicken powder.
- Put the sticky rice in a steamer and make some holes among the rice to enhance steaming. Steam the sticky rice over medium heat for 35-45 minutes. To ensure even cooking, open the lid and stir the sticky rice every 15 minutes during the steaming process.
- The subsequent steps are similar to cooking Xôi Mặn with an Instant Pot.
