Hello everyone 😊
How are you today? I am very happy to join and make many international friends in the #Hive communities. I have learned and shared many interesting things on Hive. It is autumn in Da Nang, the city where I live. It's drizzling today, so it's pretty cold. It reminds me of my mom's steamed momordica sweet rice. I think it's pretty cold in your country right now, so I decided to make it and show you guys about it today.
The meaning of red in Vietnamese culinary culture
In Vietnam, steamed momordica sweet rice is a popular dish that people often cook during Tet holiday, New Year in Vietnam according to the lunar calendar. According to folk beliefs from our ancestors, the red color of momordica ("gac" in Vietnamese) is the color of luck, blessing, the vitality of spring, it also symbolizes love and full happiness. The red color of "gac" is the natural color of heaven and earth, bringing harmony in life. This dish has the aromatic taste of glutinous rice grains, the rich taste of the "gac" fruit and the gentle aroma of pandan leaves and copra. Therefore, steamed momordica sweet rice is used on holidays, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Eve to wish for a prosperous new year.
Moreover, steamed momordica sweet rice not only provides nutrition for the body, but also has a beauty effect and helps the body fight some diseases. According to research by American scientists, lycopene in tomatoes has the ability to prevent cancer, limit the growth of cancer cells. And according to a study by the University of California, the Lycopene content in Gac fruit is 70 times higher than that in tomatoes. In addition, Gac fruit also contains many other substances such as vitamin E, carotene ... neutralize 75% of carcinogens, especially breast cancer, prostate cancer. In addition, Gac fruit also has the effect of helping to lower cholesterol, stabilize vision, beautify the skin... Okay, what are we waiting for, let's see how to make this wonderful dish.
Ingredients
1 kg of sticky rice
1 gac fruit
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons white sugar
1/2 bunch pandan leaves
50g shredded coconut
How to make it
Step 1: Sticky rice is washed and soaked in cold water for 3 to 4 hours. Then, take the rice out of the basket, rinse them with clean water and wait for the sticky rice to drain, then add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and mix well.
Step 2: Gac fruit is cut in half to get the flesh of Gac fruit into a bowl, you can use gloves to do it, or use a spoon like me is also very convenient.
Step 3: Put the flesh of the gac fruit taken in step 2 with 3 tablespoons of water into the blender, puree them so that the gac fruit does not clump.
Step 4: Mix the pureed Gac into glutinous rice and mix well by hand until the glutinous rice and gac are mixed together.
Step 5: Pandan leaves are washed and spread to the bottom of the steamer to create a characteristic aroma for the dish after steaming. Put the mixed glutinous rice into the steamer, use chopsticks to poke a few holes for better ventilation and steam for about 25 to 30 minutes.
Step 6: When the sticky rice is almost cooked, use chopsticks to gently stir the sticky rice up and then add the shredded coconut and sugar. Add a little oil (or chicken fat is the best) and continue to steam the sticky rice for another 10 minutes.
Step 7: When the sticky rice is cooked and soft, remove the steamer from the stove. That's it, you've finished steamed momordica sweet rice that is crimson and beautiful for the whole family to enjoy.
Steamed momordica sweet rice is usually eaten with crushed roasted peanuts and a little shredded coconut.
What makes me like the most about steamed momordica sweet rice
- The natural red color of Gac fruit looks very beautiful and attractive.
- It has all flavors: From the fleshy taste of glutinous rice and peanuts, the characteristic greasy taste of gac, the aroma of pandan leaves, the sweetness of sugar and the pure taste of coconut.
- It is the taste of family reunion because this dish is usually served for the whole family.
Thank you for following this post, I'm glad you enjoyed this dish. Have a good day.