Vietnamese
Gluten freeKem xôi (Hanoi coconut ice cream on sticky rice)
No-churn coconut ice cream over warm sticky rice with toasted coconut and peanuts
In the Old Quarter of Hanoi, kem xôi shops on Hàng Bài and around Hoàn Kiếm lake serve it from late morning to late at night through the hot season: a bed of warm, salty sticky rice, a scoop of coconut ice cream melting into it, then crisp toasted coconut and crushed peanuts. The contrast of warm and cold, chewy and creamy, is the whole point. This is a no-churn ice cream with no eggs and no custard. Sweetened condensed milk is the base: its sugar and milk solids lower the freezing point and keep crystals tiny, while whipped cream folded through traps air so it freezes soft without stirring, and coconut milk gives the flavour. Make the ice cream the day before and steam the rice just before serving. Chef's tip: whip the cream only to soft peaks; the common mistake is overwhipping it until stiff, which turns grainy and buttery once it freezes.
- Prep
- 380 min
- Cook
- 40 min
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Serves
- 6
- Per serving
- 560 kcal
Ingredients
For the ice cream
- 1 ¼ cups double creamwell chilled
- ¾ cup full-fat coconut milkchilled
- 1 pinch salt
For the sticky rice
- 10 ½ oz glutinous ricesoaked for 4 hours or overnight
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup coconut milk
To serve
- 1 ¾ oz roasted peanutscrushed
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Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Whisk 9 oz sweetened condensed milk, ¾ cup full-fat coconut milk and 1 pinch salt together in a large bowl until smooth.
2 minStep 2: In another bowl, whip 1 ¼ cups double cream to soft peaks: it should hold its shape briefly and then flop over at the tip.
4 minStep 3: Fold a third of the cream into the coconut mixture to loosen it, then gently fold in the rest until no streaks remain, keeping as much air as you can.
2 minStep 4: Spread into a lidded tub and freeze for at least 6 hours or overnight, until firm but scoopable. It needs no stirring.
360 minStep 5: Toast 1 oz desiccated or shredded coconut in a dry pan over a medium-low heat, stirring, for 3–4 minutes, until golden. Tip onto a plate to stop them browning.
4 minStep 6: Drain 10 ½ oz glutinous rice, toss with ½ tsp salt and steam in a muslin-lined steamer over a high heat for 25 minutes, until the grains are translucent and tender. Stir ¼ cup coconut milk through and steam 5 minutes more.
30 minStep 7: Press a mound of warm rice into each bowl, top with one or two scoops of ice cream and scatter with the toasted coconut and 1 ¾ oz roasted peanuts. Eat at once, while the rice is still warm.
3 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 560 kcal
- Protein
- 9 g
- Carbs
- 63 g
- Fat
- 30 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does kem xôi (Hanoi coconut ice cream on sticky rice) take?
- About 420 minutes in total: 380 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of double cream?
- Whipping cream, same amount (less rich; whips softer).
- What can I use instead of sweetened condensed milk?
- Oat, soy or almond milk, same amount (use unsweetened for savoury dishes).
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