Vietnamese Glutinous Rice Dumplings in Ginger Syrup

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Vietnamese Glutinous Rice Dumplings in Ginger Syrup is a beloved traditional sweet soup, often enjoyed during the Cold Foods Festival to mark the change of seasons. Soft, chewy rice balls wrapped around sweet mung bean paste float in a fragrant ginger and palm sugar syrup, finished with warm coconut cream and toasted sesame.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 420 kcalCalories
• 12 gFat
• 8 gSaturated Fat
• 72 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 32 gSugar
• 6 gProtein
• 180 mgSodium
• 260 mgPotassium
• 55 mgCalcium
• 2 mgIron
• 2 mgVitamin C
• 10 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the mung bean filling

• 1/2 cup dried split yellow mung beans (about 100 g)
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt

For the rice dough

• 1 1/2 cups glutinous (sweet) rice flour (about 200 g)
• 3/4 cup warm water, plus more as needed
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon neutral oil

For the ginger syrup

• 4 cups water
• 3/4 cup palm sugar or light brown sugar, packed
• 1 large knob fresh ginger (about 60 g), thinly sliced
• 1 pandan leaf, tied in a knot (optional)

For serving

• 1/2 cup canned coconut cream or thick coconut milk
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
• 1 scallion, thinly sliced (optional)

Directions

1. Soak the mung beans in plenty of cold water for 2 hours, then drain. Place in a small saucepan, cover with fresh water by 1 inch, and simmer for 20 to 25 minutes until very tender. Drain well and mash with the sugar, coconut milk, and salt until a smooth, thick paste forms. Cool, then roll into 16 small balls about 1 tablespoon each.
2. Make the dough: in a bowl, whisk the glutinous rice flour with the salt. Pour in the warm water and oil and stir with chopsticks until shaggy, then knead by hand for 3 to 4 minutes until smooth and pliable. If the dough is dry, add water 1 teaspoon at a time; if sticky, dust with a little more flour. Cover with a damp towel and rest for 15 minutes.
3. Divide the rested dough into 16 equal pieces (about 20 g each). Working one at a time, flatten a piece into a 2 1/2-inch disc in your palm, place a mung bean ball in the center, and wrap the dough up and around the filling, pinching to seal. Roll gently between your palms into a smooth ball and set on a tray lightly dusted with rice flour.
4. Bring a large pot of unsalted water to a boil. Lower the dumplings into the water in batches so they do not crowd, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, stirring gently at first so they do not stick. The dumplings are ready when they float and the dough looks translucent and glossy.
5. While the dumplings cook, make the syrup: combine the water, palm sugar, ginger slices, and pandan leaf (if using) in a medium saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 10 minutes to let the ginger infuse. Taste and adjust the sweetness.
6. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the cooked dumplings directly into the simmering ginger syrup and let them bathe for 2 to 3 minutes so they absorb the flavor. Meanwhile, gently warm the coconut cream with the salt in a small saucepan over low heat until just steaming; do not let it boil.
7. Ladle the dumplings and a generous amount of syrup into shallow bowls, spoon a little warm coconut cream over each serving, and finish with toasted sesame seeds and sliced scallion if you like. Serve hot.

Cook’s Notes

• Use warm (not hot) water for the dough – it helps the glutinous rice flour develop the right chewy, elastic texture, while water that is too hot will make the dough gummy.
• Choose young, fresh ginger rather than older fibrous rhizomes for the cleanest, brightest flavor in the syrup.
• Pandan leaf is traditional but optional; stir 1/4 teaspoon pandan extract into the finished syrup if you cannot find fresh leaves.
• Eat the dumplings the day they are made for the best chewy texture – leftovers will firm up in the fridge, though a brief reheat in the syrup will soften them again.
• For an extra-aromatic dessert, add a few thin slices of ginger to the coconut cream as it warms, then fish them out before spooning over the dumplings.

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