Winter won't be cold with 5 famous and delicious Hanoi desserts.

Sticky rice dumplings

It would be a shame to visit Hanoi in the winter and miss the chance to enjoy the fragrant and delicious glutinous rice balls in sweet soup. Hanoians often say that this dish seems to have been made for winter.

The glutinous rice dumplings (Bánh trôi tàu) have a wrapper made from glutinous rice flour kneaded to the right consistency. Inside, the filling of mung bean or black sesame is delicately wrapped, creating a distinctive and unmistakable flavor.

Each perfectly shaped, round dumpling is placed in a pot of simmering water infused with palm sugar and ginger, creating a rich broth. Once cooked, the dumplings are scooped into a bowl, topped with broth, sesame seeds, peanuts, and fragrant coconut. The difference lies in the warm, aromatic flavor of the dumplings, leaving a lasting impression from the first bite. This is not just a dish, but a unique culinary experience, bringing you closer to the soul of old Hanoi.

Cassava tea

More than just a culinary specialty, Hanoi's tapioca pudding has become an enduring passion for many residents of the capital. Hanoians eagerly await the monsoon season, as it's the perfect time to enjoy the most authentic and delicious tapioca pudding. Each tapioca pearl, both soft and chewy, is cooked in a sugary glaze, creating a thick, smooth, and creamy bowl of pudding.

A delicious bowl of tapioca pudding is captivating with its characteristic amber color, blended with a subtly sweet flavor and fragrant, soft tapioca pieces. At famous shops, there's creativity not only in the way the pudding is cooked but also in the way it's served. Many shops have added variations by topping the pudding with peanuts or coconut, creating a unique highlight and increasing its appeal to diners.

Hot sticky rice with sweet soup

Another Hanoi winter specialty you should try is hot sticky rice with sweet soup. Made with simple ingredients like mung beans and sticky rice, hot sticky rice with sweet soup has become a familiar treat for Hanoians during the cold, windy days.

The secret to the success of hot sticky rice with sweet soup lies in the sticky rice itself. The person cooking the sticky rice is not simply a cook, but an artisan, carefully selecting each golden grain of glutinous rice. The soaking process is also meticulously carried out before the cooking begins.

The sticky rice, with its perfect chewy texture and rich, creamy flavor, is what makes this dish so appealing. When you taste it, you'll experience a subtly sweet and savory flavor, perfectly combined with the pungent aroma of ginger, creating an unforgettable culinary experience.

Luc Tau Xa

The dish called "luc tau xa" (six-bean mung bean soup) has a pleasant-sounding name, but it holds an unexpectedly sophisticated and elaborate culinary story. After the mung beans are cooked until soft, lightly boiled tapioca pearls and granulated sugar are gradually added, stirring continuously until the mixture becomes smooth and creamy. In some places, lotus seeds are also added during cooking.

In particular, the dish "luc tau xa" cannot be without a touch of dried tangerine peel and orange peel, creating its distinctive aroma. A bowl of "luc tau xa," with its rich golden color from the mung beans, is not only visually appealing but also offers a warm and comforting flavor when enjoyed on chilly days.

Hot black bean sweet soup

The dish is exactly as it's called. What's special is that the hot black bean sweet soup is usually cooked skillfully, creating a richer and more distinctive flavor compared to the summer version. The soup is made from black beans, simmered carefully so that the beans are soft and tender, absorbing the sugar but still retaining their shape without becoming mushy.

A bowl of hot black bean sweet soup, with its thick, appealing consistency, is not only a culinary symbol but also a lingering taste of winter. To make the soup even more delicious, people often add a little coconut milk and grated coconut on top, creating a rich, creamy, and irresistible flavor.

Ha Mai Trinh