How to cook sticky rice with mung beans and peanuts simply, delicious like at a restaurant

How to make Xôi bát bửu

• 1

  Prepare the ingredients

  For the meat, rub it all over with salt while squeezing it evenly to clean off any dirt on the surface. After that, rinse it with clean water and let it drain.

  For the sticky rice, rinse it briefly in cold water and then soak it in a bowl for about 3 – 4 hours. Once the time is up, rinse it again with clean water 1 – 2 more times and let it drain in preparation for steaming.

  For the pickled radish and dried shrimp, wash them thoroughly, then soak them in two separate bowls of clean water. After that, take the radish out and cut it into small pieces.

  For the dried shiitake mushrooms, wash off any dirt on the outside, then soak them in cold water for about 30 minutes until they expand, and rinse them again with clean water. Then dice them along with the Chinese sausage.

  Wash the lotus seeds, remove the inner core. Place them in a pot of boiling water and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes until the seeds are soft and creamy, then turn off the heat.

  Tip:

  • You can soak the shiitake mushrooms in water at about 60 – 80 degrees Celsius to help them soften faster.
  • After boiling, the lotus seeds should be soaked in the pot for another 10 – 15 minutes to become fully soft. Removing them too early can leave some seeds firm.

  Put the peanuts in a pot (or pan) and roast them evenly over low heat until they become fragrant, turn golden, and when tasted, they should be crispy and nutty without any bitterness.

  

  

  

  
• 2

  Marinate the meat and braise the char siu

  Marinate the meat with 1 packet of char siu marinade, mix well and let it sit for about 30 minutes to absorb the flavor.

  After the time is up, take the piece of meat and sear it over low heat, add a little water to dissolve the leftover sauce in the pan. Braise the meat over low heat for 20 – 30 minutes, until the meat is tender and the liquid has evaporated.

  Wait until the meat cools, then take it out and dice it.

  Tip:

  • When marinating the meat, you can use chopsticks to poke holes in the meat to help it absorb the seasoning evenly, making it tastier.
  • Instead of braising the meat, you can also grill it for a more fragrant flavor.

  

  

  

  
• 3

  Stir-fry the filling

  Place a pan on the stove, sauté chopped green onions with 2 tablespoons of cooking oil. When the onions become fragrant, add all the dried shrimp and Chinese sausage, stir-frying together with 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce, 1 tablespoon of chili sauce, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon of sugar.

  Add all the shiitake mushrooms and pickled radish, stir-fry for about 5 minutes until the mushrooms are soft, then turn off the heat.

  

  
• 4

  Mix the filling with sticky rice and steam

  Add water to the steamer, turn on the heat, and wait until the water starts to boil.

  Add all the stir-fried filling and boiled lotus seeds to the sticky rice, mixing well. When the water boils, place the steaming basket into the pot, then spread the sticky rice evenly over the basket and cover it. Steam the sticky rice on high heat for about 30 minutes.

  When the sticky rice is cooked, open the lid and fluff the rice to separate the grains, continuing to steam for another 5 minutes until the rice grains are dry.

  Tip: When steaming 5-color sticky rice, make sure to leave a hole in the center of the rice to allow steam to escape easily. Closing all holes will cause the sticky rice to become mushy.

  

  

  

  
• 5

  Final product

  Plate the sticky rice, add the roasted peanuts and fried shallots on top, and it’s ready to enjoy. The sticky rice is soft and chewy, paired with flavorful char siu meat, rich lap xuong sausage, and fragrant lotus seeds, all creating a special flavor for this eight treasures sticky rice dish. Let’s try it right away!

  See more: How to make crispy fried shallots quickly and easily using an air fryer