Sandwich Shop Goodies 4 – Xôi bắp (sweet sticky rice and corn)
Every morning at six, sometimes five thirty, my dad went to the market with my mom’s grocery list, and on the way back picked up something fresh for my breakfast. He had to be extra early if we wanted xôi that day, because the warm morsels folded up in banana leaves wouldn’t last past six thirty. Sweet xôi was a popular morning food, until they started putting in lap xuong and pork floss and turned it too close to a lunch thing. But our xôi lady, and later her daughter, never made anything but sweet sticky rice in their loyal steamers. Every morning, sitting on a plastic stool and head half-covered by the cone hat, they surrounded themselves with three or four shining aluminum wok-like basins on the low table, neatly cut squares of banana leaves, old newspaper and rubber band in the side basket. Those aluminum basins often had peanut xôi, black xôi (which actually looked purple), and one other speciaux du jour. My mom was so concerned with my health that she would pick off all the peanuts if my dad got the peanut xôi, and I got really bored with black sticky rice and sweetened bean paste, so there was no telling what I would get for breakfast. On rare occasions it was corn. My favorite.
Without the seed coat and the yellow tip, each kernel was all soft, white and plump, must be twice its natural size. The sticky rice too was gummy, hardly discernible from the corn. I’d try to eat all the sticky rice first and save my precious puffs for last. Our xôi lady always covered the white palmful with mash mung bean, a big spoon of sugar, and a pinch of fried shallot. Arguably the fried shallot tempered the “sweetness” of this xôi, but it’s not as crucial as sugar and sweetened mash bean. Something I didn’t realize until years later.
We moved sometimes at the end of sixth grade, then again, this time across the Pacific, at the end of eleventh grade. My chance of eating corn xôi dropped like the housing market in Detroit. Partly because the cling wrapped stuff on styrofoam plates doesn’t at all look like Ms. Điệp’s warm morsels. So you can imagine my excitement when I saw it at Kim’s Sandwiches, not wrapped up but in aluminum trays behind the counter. Sure, they put it in styrofoam boxes when you order, but that’s still better. I got two for five dollars.
It might have been bad timing. I blamed it on our late morning arrival: xôi is best when it’s just thirty minutes out of the steamer, cool enough not to burn yet warm enough to keep the sticky rice gummy and moist. Our xôi was cold and dried up. But it was also bland. Lack of sugar in corn xôi made it un-corn-xôi-like. The grains and kernels were coated with mung bean powder, not mash, hence we got a heap of powder-coated grains and kernels instead of corn xôi. This is the Northern Vietnamese style, but frankly it’s incomparable with the Southerners’ sweet twist.
On a brighter note, Kim’s Sandwiches’ savory xôi, with roasted chicken and green onions, proved worthy of toothwork. Although the sticky rice was also cold and dried up, the meat was plenty and flavorful to boost.
On an even brighter note, the corn xôi was well-salvaged by a sugar dispenser and a microwave.
———————————————————————————————–
Xôi bắp and xôi gà ($2.50 each) from Kim’s Sandwiches
(in the Lion Supermarket area)
1816 Tully Rd 182, San Jose, CA 95111
(408) 270-8903
Previously on Sandwich Shop Goodies: bánh ú tro
Next on Sandwich Shop Goodies: bánh khảo/bánh in
You really make it seem so easy with your presentation but I find this matter to be actually something which I think I would never understand. It seems too complicated and extremely broad for me. I am looking forward for your next post, I will try to get the hang of it!
1I enjoy forgathering utile information , this post has got me even more info! .
2Some times its a pain in the ass to read what website owners wrote but this web site is very user friendly! .
3Enjoyed looking at this, very good stuff, regards.
4I don’t even know how I ended up here, but I thought this post was good. I don’t know who you are but certainly you are going to a famous blogger if you aren’t already 😉 Cheers!
5Super-Duper site! I am loving it!! Will be back later to read some more. I am taking your feeds also
6Sweet blog! I found it while browsing on Yahoo News. Do you have any tips on how to get listed in Yahoo News? I’ve been trying for a while but I never seem to get there! Thanks
7I will right away grab your rss feed as I can not find your email subscription link or e-newsletter service. Do you’ve any? Please let me know so that I could subscribe. Thanks.
8You have observed very interesting details ! ps nice internet site.
9Excellent read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing some research on that. And he just bought me lunch because I found it for him smile So let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch! “Not only is the universe stranger than we imagine, it is stranger than we can imagine.” by Sir Arthur Eddington.
10Howdy! Would you mind if I share your blog with my facebook group? There’s a lot of folks that I think would really appreciate your content. Please let me know. Cheers
11I truly enjoy looking through on this website , it holds superb posts.
12Way cool, some valid points! I appreciate you making this article available, the rest of the site is also high quality. Have a fun.
13horse gelatin for men
14horse gelatin trick
15I wanted to thank you for this great read!! I definitely enjoying every little bit of it I have you bookmarked to check out new stuff you post…
16Yeah bookmaking this wasn’t a high risk determination great post! .
17I’m truly enjoying the design and layout of your website. It’s a very easy on the eyes which makes it much more pleasant for me to come here and visit more often. Did you hire out a designer to create your theme? Superb work!
18Some truly interesting info , well written and broadly user pleasant.
19Wow, amazing blog layout! How long have you been blogging for? you made blogging look easy. The overall look of your website is wonderful, let alone the content!
20It’s really a nice and helpful piece of information. I’m glad that you shared this useful info with us. Please keep us up to date like this. Thank you for sharing.
21Great tremendous things here. I’m very satisfied to look your article. Thank you so much and i’m taking a look forward to contact you. Will you kindly drop me a e-mail?
22You got a very fantastic website, Gladiolus I detected it through yahoo.
23I would like to thank you for the efforts you have put in writing this site. I am hoping the same high-grade blog post from you in the upcoming as well. In fact your creative writing abilities has inspired me to get my own website now. Actually the blogging is spreading its wings fast. Your write up is a great example of it.
24Hey there! This is my first comment here so I just wanted to give a quick shout out and tell you I genuinely enjoy reading your blog posts. Can you suggest any other blogs/websites/forums that deal with the same subjects? Thanks!
25You have brought up a very wonderful details , appreciate it for the post.
26Some truly superb blog posts on this web site, thanks for contribution. “We are always in search of the redeeming formula, the crystallizing thought.” by Etty Hillesum.
27I really like your writing style, excellent information, thankyou for posting :D.
28There may be noticeably a bundle to know about this. I assume you made certain good factors in options also.
29Very interesting details you have observed, regards for putting up. “Nothing ever goes away.” by Barry Commoner.
30Very interesting points you have mentioned, regards for posting.
31so much wonderful information on here, :D.
32Fantastic beat ! I wish to apprentice whilst you amend your site, how can i subscribe for a blog web site? The account aided me a appropriate deal. I had been a little bit familiar of this your broadcast provided vivid clear concept
33Good info. Lucky me I reach on your website by accident, I bookmarked it.
34Yay google is my queen assisted me to find this great website ! .
35obviously like your web site but you need to check the spelling on several of your posts. Many of them are rife with spelling problems and I in finding it very troublesome to inform the truth then again I’ll surely come back again.
36you are really a good webmaster. The site loading speed is amazing. It seems that you’re doing any unique trick. Furthermore, The contents are masterpiece. you’ve done a excellent job on this topic!
37I feel this is among the so much important information for me. And i’m happy reading your article. But want to remark on some basic things, The web site style is great, the articles is actually excellent :D. Excellent activity, cheers
38I got what you intend,bookmarked, very decent website .
39Attractive section of content. I just stumbled upon your site and in accession capital to assert that I acquire actually enjoyed account your blog posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing to your feeds and even I achievement you access consistently rapidly.
40Hi there would you mind stating which blog platform you’re working with? I’m planning to start my own blog in the near future but I’m having a hard time deciding between BlogEngine/Wordpress/B2evolution and Drupal. The reason I ask is because your design and style seems different then most blogs and I’m looking for something unique. P.S Sorry for being off-topic but I had to ask!
41Real clear internet site, appreciate it for this post.
42Would you be concerned about exchanging links?
43Merely wanna comment that you have a very decent site, I love the style it really stands out.
44Super-Duper site! I am loving it!! Will be back later to read some more. I am taking your feeds also
45You made some good points there. I looked on the internet for the issue and found most guys will agree with your blog.
46fantastic points altogether, you simply gained a brand new reader. What would you recommend in regards to your post that you made some days ago? Any positive?
47Hiya, I’m really glad I have found this information. Nowadays bloggers publish only about gossips and internet and this is actually annoying. A good site with interesting content, this is what I need. Thank you for keeping this web site, I will be visiting it. Do you do newsletters? Can not find it.
48I was looking through some of your articles on this website and I think this website is rattling instructive! Keep putting up.
49I consider something truly special in this internet site.
50