Com Xao (Hanoi Stir Fried Young Green Rice), Sweetened with Monk Fruit
Sweets and drinksChilled DessertsVietnamAbout 30 minutes of stir frying, plus resting the com overnight beforehand
Hanoi com xao comes to the plate chewy and dense, glossy green and scented with lotus leaf. The tricky part is the moisture of the com, since grains that are too dry stay hard while grains that are too wet collapse into a paste.
Resting the com overnight between damp cloths and lotus leaves lets the grains take up water slowly and hold their shape in the pan. The coconut water goes in already cooked with the sweetener, so the grains absorb it fully before the mixture comes together.
This batch weighs about 600g, at roughly 213 calories per 100g.
Method
Choose com at the medium stage, with firm, thick, deep green grains, so the finished dish keeps its texture and flavor.
Rest the com overnight: lay a lotus leaf on a flat surface, wring out a damp cloth and place it on the leaf, spread 400g com over it in a thin even layer, then cover with another damp cloth and a lotus leaf.
Choose a young coconut for the coconut water and strain it clean. Have a little chicken fat ready.
Heat 100 to 120ml fresh coconut water with 90g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, stirring until it dissolves completely.
Add the 400g rested com, keeping the heat medium at first and folding gently so the grains take up the liquid and the sweetness.
Once the com comes together as a mass, lower the heat, add the chicken fat and keep folding until the mixture pulls away from the pan and turns glossy, soft and chewy.
Cut a lotus leaf to the size of the plate, brush it with a little chicken fat and turn out the com, pressing lightly to square off the edges. Scatter over grated coconut if desired.
Tips
Resting the com under a damp cloth lets it take up water slowly, so the grains stay whole in the pan rather than turning hard or pasty.
For a softer, finer texture, keep the heat low from the start and fold for longer.
A brush of chicken fat on the lotus leaf keeps the com from sticking to it.
Let the coconut water and the sweetener reduce before the com goes in, since too much liquid leaves it pasty.
Monk fruit sweetness has a light cooling finish that shows up more once the dish has cooled.
Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?
The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.