Every inhabitant of Hanoi is familiar with the common cuisine “Com”. Hanoi’s autumn is distinguished by the emergence of this dish. Additionally, a lot of people claim that “viewing “cốm” means witnessing the entire autumn of Hanoi.” Special meals created with com include Stir-fried Com, Sticky Rice, and Banana-dipped Com, which frequently seem to correspond with Hanoi’s fall.

“COM” STICKY RICE

Sticky sticky rice is not too popular, but it causes nostalgia for both the people of the capital and visitors who have the opportunity to visit Hanoi in autumn.

No need for complicated processing or elaborate recipes, sticky rice is simple but carries the essence of a specialty of Hanoi when collected.

How to make?

With only rustic ingredients such as “cốm”, yellow chickpeas (đậu xanh vàng), pineapple leaves (lá dứa), lotus seeds (hạt sen) and a few strands of shredded coconut (dừa nạo). The sweet flavor of ingredients with bold homeland colors still holds a certain place in the hearts of food lovers. The recipe to make Com sticky rice states as followed:

Step 1: Preliminary processing of chickpeas, lotus seeds, “cốm”

• Dry “cốm””: Put in a bowl soaked in cold water for 2-3 minutes, then wash off the dirt and remove and drain.

Note: Do not soak the “cốm” for a long time, so when cooking the “cốm” will be mushy and chili.

• Chickpeas: Soak with warm water for 3 to 4 hours to make the chickpeas tender, then rinse. Or you can soak chickpeas overnight to save time preparing chickpeas.
• Lotus seeds: Put in a bowl soaked for about 1 hour. (If cooked with fresh lotus seeds, you remove the bitter lotus inside and soak with water for about 15 minutes).
• Copra was cleaned before being scraped into fibers.

Step 2: Cook lotus seeds, chickpeas

• Boiling the chickpeas in water after they have been soaked
• When the water boils, turn the heat to simmer the chickpeas until the beans are off. After that, pour into a basin to chill, and then puree with the ladle.
• Put the lotus seeds in a pot, cover with water, and heat for about 15 minutes. Then, add 1 teaspoon of baking powder and heat for an additional 10 to 15 minutes. 
• Lotus seeds should be placed in a sieve (tan), rinsed with cold water, and then drained

Step 3: Make sticky rice

• Mix 1 tablespoon of filtered water and 1 tablespoon of cooking oil with “cốm”
• Spread “cốm” evenly into the steamer 
• Washing, chopping, and applying pineapple leaves in half on green “cốm” faces
• Place in the steamer until the nuggets are soft and flexible, then turn off the heat.
• Remove the pineapple leaves, add the remaining sugar and mix well. Cover and steam for another 5 minutes.

Finally, you can enjoy the fantastic aroma of the wonderful “Com sticky rice”. Hanoians consume sticky rice nuggets in a fairly straightforward manner. Simply drizzle some white sugar and grated coconut on top (and, if desired, sprinkle with some roasted sesame seeds), add some smooth green beans, and combine everything before serving. You can eat this dish hot or cold, and the delicious flavor of the “nuggets” will definitely not change.

BANANA-DIPPED “COM”

Hanoians adore eating bananas in a particularly intriguing and creative way. The family frequently enjoys going to buy a lot of peppers and bananas in the fall to dip with Com Vong. After all, this is a premium Hanoi specialty that is only offered in the fall. 

The making process of this dish is quite simple. You only need to combine cooked “cốm” sticky rice (as the recipe above) and a Vietnamese banana. Then, you can enjoy this amazing dish right away! Cost-less, time-saving and still appealing, this is such an ideal dish for anyone.

How to eat?

For Hanoians, the way to eat bananas also has its own pleasure and art of enjoyment. In the fall, the family often likes to buy bananas with hoe eggs to dip with “cốm”. After all, this is a Hanoi-exclusive premium item that is only offered in the fall. It is important to eat this dish slowly and gently. Bananas are chopped in half or into short pieces, dipped into the “cốm” , and then slowly chewed in the mouth. At that moment, we can detect the supple flavor of “cốm” blended with the sweet and sour taste of bananas, as well as a faint, delicate aroma of lotus leaves.

Despite its diminutive size, bananas can be compared to any fruit, including peaches, pears, apples, pomelos, and even the aromatic “cốm” of Vong village, making a wonderful pairing.

STIR-FRIED “COM”

If most of the dishes made from “cốm” cause nostalgia because of the gentle aroma and taste, fried rice is the choice for diners who want to eat a dish with a clearer flavor. Among the specialties from rice, fried rice is probably the sweetest and most flexible.

Coconut stir-fried “cốm” is a favorite dish of many people thanks to the delicious and sweet fatty taste. And here’s how to make this mouthwatering dish, let’s see through it now!

First we need to prepare the following ingredients: Flat “cốm”, coconut water, grated coconut and sugar.

Step 1: Stir-fry coconut

• Put the pan on the stove with 2 tablespoons of sugar, stirring over medium heat until the sugar melts.
• Put 2/3 of the grated coconut and 1 tablespoon of coconut water in the pan, stir-fry the coconut fibers again, then turn off the heat.

Step 2: Soaking “Cốm”

Put 2 tablespoons of coconut water in the flat “cốm”, mix well and soak about 5-10 to make the nuggets soft.

Step 3: Stir-fry “cốm”

• Pickled nuggets put in a pan with 2 tablespoons of sugar, stirring with medium heat to dissolve the sugar.
• Then pour in the remaining coconut water, bring to a boil, then turn the heat down to low.
• Continuously stir-fry the “cốm” to make them flexible, then add the stir-fried grated coconut, combine thoroughly, and then turn off the heat.
• Finally, all that’s left to do is toss the nuggets onto a dish and top them with grated coconut so you can enjoy them.

“Cốm” that have been stir-fried are likewise very easy to eat. The nuggets can be stir-fried and then poured onto a plate, flattened uniformly. Add some freshly grated coconut for additional decoration. You can add a tiny sprinkle of salt to stir-fried nuggets to make them taste richer. Keep in mind it is just a tiny teaspoon of salt! Plus, another crucial rule is to avoid eating hot fried nuggets; instead, let them cool completely so that you can fully experience their flavor as well as the richness of the coconut milk and really experience the flavor of that paradise. Green rice stir-fried is served with green tea as a snack, as an afternoon gift, or as a meal.

Com is typically a delectable dish in Hanoi, which draws lots of foreign visitors. If you intend to visit Hanoi, you really must try this dish at least once while there. Let’s go get some “cốm” right away!