Homemade Xoi Gac (Vietnamese Red Sticky Rice)

Xoi Gac or Vietnamese Red Sticky Rice is often made for Lunar New Year or Tet in Vietnam. Glutinous rice is dyed red thanks to the addition of Gac fruit and then sweetened slightly with sugar. It is the perfect addition to your New Year celebration, symbolizing good luck and vitality for the upcoming year. Included in this blog post are instructions on how to use fresh Gac or frozen Gac paste.

Every year, I get so excited for Lunar New Year (Chinese New Year in China or Tet in Vietnam) because I get to eat foods I don’t normally get to have the rest of the year. This simple Xoi Gac or Vietnamese Red Sticky Rice is a perfect example. This Xoi recipe is so so simple, and has the perfect balance of Gac flavor and sweetness from the sugar.

My relationship with Xoi

Xoi or Vietnamese sticky rice is something I grew up with. There are a variety of flavors and colors and can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. The Xoi I know best are those served for dessert or breakfast like Xoi La Dua (pandan sticky rice), Xoi Lac (sticky rice with beans), and Xoi Gac (red sticky rice – this one!). But there are a variety of Xoi that are more savory and are eaten as full meals like Xoi Man (sticky rice with Chinese sausage).

How I developed my Xoi Gac recipe

I tested this sticky rice recipe 3 times. What I wanted to achieve with this recipe is to make something that was simple, accessible, and not too sweet. First off, I could not find Gac, so I opted to use frozen Gac paste instead. This worked out in my favor since it’s a lot easier to work with the frozen paste than the fruit. One downside is that it has excess liquid from being frozen. In my first test, this caused the rice to become very mushy, so in my next test, I drained some of the liquid and steamed the rice for less time to account for the excess liquid.

I also tested out different measurements for sugar to ensure the rice was not too sweet. I tested out 4 tsp and 6 tsp (2 tbsp) of sugar, and found that 4 tsp is sufficient. If you want rice that is sweeter, feel free to add more sugar until it’s sweet enough for you.

Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

• Glutinous rice – I use Three Rings sweet rice for my sticky rice recipes. They are my favorite brand and one I recommend using.
• Gac paste (frozen) – This ingredient can be hard to find outside of Southeast Asia. I used frozen Gac paste (pictured above) because that is all I could find. If you can find the fruit, I would recommend using that. See directions below on how to use it. The fruit or frozen paste can be found at large Asian grocery store chains or on Asian grocery delivery services like Weee. I got mine on Weee.
• Sake (or white wine) – You can use either white wine or sake, but personally I prefer the sake. It has a more neutral flavor compared to the wine.
• Granulated sugar – I used 4 tsp, but if you would like a sweeter sticky rice, feel free to use more.
• Toppings (black sesame, sugar, and salt) – This topping is a variation on the topping I used for my pandan sticky rice. Personally, I like how the black sesame seeds look on red rice, but you can also use regular white sesame seeds.

What to do if you are using fresh Gac fruit

If you are using the fruit, this is what you do. Cut the fruit open and take out 10-12 seeds. Mix it together with the sake, a teaspoon of oil, and salt until a red paste forms. The seeds should separate at this point so fish them out, and save a few for decoration at the end. Then proceed to mix together with the rice before steaming.

How to make Xoi Gac

Rinse 2 cups of glutinous rice until the water runs clear (4-5 times). Add the rice to a bowl and fill it with water until it just covers the rice. Let the rice soak for 4 hours or overnight. If at any point, the rice starts to look too dry, add more water. Place the bowl in the fridge if soaking overnight.

The next day, drain the rice and set aside. Strain 1 cup of Gac paste to get rid of excess liquid. Add the Gac paste to a bowl with the glutinous rice, 2 tbsp sake, and 1/2 tsp of salt. Stir until well combined.

Prep your steamer by bringing water to a simmer and adding the steamer insert. Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the steamer insert. I like to poke holes in the parchment paper to help the steam come through. Scoop the rice into the steamer, and steam for 20 minutes until rice is cooked through. Once done, try a little to test for doneness and continue cooking if it needs more time.

Add 4 tsp of granulated sugar and mix until combined. Break down 2 tbsp of black sesame seeds with a mortar and pestle. If you don’t have one, use a bowl and the back of a knife. Combine the black sesame with 1 tsp of granulated sugar and a pinch of salt. Serve rice with black sesame topping. Enjoy!

How do you eat Xoi Gac?

Xoi Gac can be eaten by itself (my preference) or as a substitute for rice. Some dishes it can be eaten with are Cha Lua or Lemongrass Chicken.

How do you store Xoi Gac?

Xoi Gac can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If your home is too hot, store in the fridge, and then reheat the sticky rice for 10-20 seconds to get it up to room temperature before serving.

Did you make this dish?

If you made this dish, I would love to see!

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