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I love all of our Vietnamese desserts, especially the ones made with glutinous sticky rice. There’s something so comforting about them—the chewy texture, the subtle sweetness, and that beautiful balance of coconut and rice that never gets old.
I’m fortunate to have a garden filled with herbs and vegetables, and one of my favorite plants I grow is magenta leaves. I specifically planted them so I could make this dessert, and every time I do, it feels extra special. When you boil magenta leaves, they release a gorgeous deep purple color, which I use to stain the sticky rice in this recipe. It’s completely natural, and the result is both stunning and delicious.
Now, I know most people don’t have magenta leaves growing in their backyard, but there are other ways to achieve that same effect. You can use ube extract, which not only gives a vibrant purple color but also adds a wonderful flavor that pairs beautifully with coconut. Another option is purple cabbage—if you steam it and use the resulting liquid, you’ll get a lovely tint, though it might carry a very mild cabbage aroma (I haven’t tried it yet, but it would be interesting to see!). You can also use purple sweet potato powder or even blended blueberries to naturally color the rice.
Regardless of which coloring method you use, the most important step is to soak the glutinous rice overnight. That’s what gives it that perfect sticky, chewy texture. The rice is then mixed with coconut cream before steaming, infusing it with richness and aroma.
Once cooked, I love topping the rice with a simple garnish of shredded coconut, toasted sesame seeds, sugar, and a drizzle of coconut cream. It’s fragrant, slightly sweet, and full of texture—the perfect combination.
To me, Xôi Lá Cẩm isn’t just a dessert; it’s a celebration of color, tradition, and creativity. Whether you make it with magenta leaves or a modern substitute, it’s a dish that always brings joy to the table.
Vietnamese Magenta Sticky Rice – Xoi La Cam
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 2 cups magenta leaves
- 5 pandan leaves, optional
- 2 cups glutinous rice or sweet rice grains
- 7 fl oz can coconut cream
Garnish:
- 1 cup coconut, shredded
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ¾ cup coconut cream
Instructions
- Add magenta and pandan leaves to a pot and fill with water just enough to cover the leaves.
- Bring it to a boil, then reduce heat to medium and let it boil for 5 minutes.
- Strain the leaves and let the magenta colored water cool.
- Rinse rice until water turns clear. Drain.
- Once the magenta water is cool, add rinsed rice and let it soak overnight, or at least 5 hours.
- After soaking is complete, drain.
- Put the magenta colored rice in a bowl and pour in the entire can of coconut cream. Mix it throughly.
- In a hot steamer, add rice and steam for 15 minutes.
- Mix all the dry granish ingredients together.
- Add cooked rice to a serving bowl/platter. Then add the mixed dry garnish on top.
- Drizzle coconut cream and serve!
Nutrition
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