Ngoc Yen Restaurant: 157 Duong Tu Giang, Ward 15, District 5, Ho Chi Minh

Opening hours: 14h00 – 22h00

Ngoc Yen Restaurant is often known as the restaurant selling the best sticky rice with coconut and durian milk in the Cho Lon area. The shop is nestled among many car parts stores, fabric stores, and other shops, with a simple space with only plastic tables and chairs placed on the sidewalk. Despite its “normal” interface, the restaurant has been in business for more than 4 decades thanks to its unique sticky rice dish.

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Ngoc Yen restaurant is not too eye-catching and only sells 2 dishes: durian coconut sticky rice and three-color sweet soup. Photo: Bich Phuong

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Eye-catching ingredients are carefully prepared by the owner. Photo: Cao Nhan

A plate of sticky rice with coconut milk on top, then a layer of ca dé made from eggs-coconut milk-sugar, and finally the sticky rice will cost about 30,000 VND. As soon as you pick up the sticky rice, you can immediately feel the aroma from the sticky rice, coconut milk and especially durian.

If you wonder where durian is in the durian coconut sticky rice dish, Vietnamtravelio can answer: the durian rice has been mixed with coconut milk, providing a gentle, sweet flavor. .

Below the layer of coconut milk is ca dé. In particular, Ngoc Yen restaurant’s ca dé is loved by many diners thanks to its soft texture like flan. Finally, there is the fragrant white sticky rice, not as sweet as the remaining ingredients so that it can enhance the flavor of ca dé and coconut milk.

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The coconut milk mixed with durian creates an incredibly harmonious texture. Photo: Bich Phuong

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On top of the sticky rice layer is a layer of ca dé with a special soft texture like flan. Photo: Cao Nhan

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After putting the coffee on top, the shop owner will pour coconut milk into the sticky rice dish. Photo: Cao Nhan

According to Saigon travel experience, to enjoy delicious durian coconut sticky rice, you need to scoop and taste all three ingredients at the same time. Then we will feel the sweetness and melting of coconut milk and ca dé in our mouth. In contrast, the sticky rice is chewy and has an extremely pleasant aroma.

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Filled coffee and coconut milk are always prepared at the shop. Photo: Bich Phuong

According to Tuoi Tre Online reporter, restaurant owner Ngoc Yen said that her mother-in-law passed down the recipe for this durian coconut sticky rice dish. More than 50 years ago, the Cho Lon area had many Cambodians selling their traditional dishes. She was also taught the profession by a person of Cambodian descent.

After this person returned to Cambodia, her mother-in-law continued to do this business. In the past, her restaurant had many regular customers thanks to everyone spreading the word. Even without a signboard for decades, there were still many Chinese people who ate and remembered to come again.

The owner believes that the special feature of the durian coconut sticky rice dish lies in the unique combination of coconut milk, durian and ca dé. In addition, the type of egg used for processing is also duck eggs, not chicken eggs, which gives the orange color and soft, smooth texture like flan.

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The restaurant has been open for many years but still attracts a large number of customers to come and support it. Photo: Cao Nhan

Ngoc Yen restaurant only sells two dishes, durian coconut sticky rice and three-color sweet soup, but still attracts a large number of Saigon snack lovers. True to its name, tri-color tea 3 three typical colors are white from coconut milk and jelly; followed by the deep red color of red beans; Finally, the yellow color comes from caé and mashed green beans. Three-color sweet soup eaten with shaved ice is a cooling dish on summer days, especially suitable to enjoy after you have eaten sticky rice with coconut and durian milk.

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Three-color sweet soup is prepared for diners to enjoy at Ngoc Yen restaurant. Photo: Bich Phuong

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Three-color sweet soup is a delicious cooling dish that is as popular as sticky rice with coconut and durian milk. Photo: Cao Nhan

Siamese sticky rice is short for “Siamese” sticky rice, this is the Vietnamese abbreviation for Thai people who come to our country to settle down. In the past, there were many Thai traders who came to provinces near the Gulf of Thailand such as An Giang and Kien Giang to set up business. Our people have learned how to cook Siamese sticky rice from them and distinguish it from other types of sticky rice.

Before making coconut and durian sticky rice, you need to prepare the following ingredients:

Sticky rice 500 gram
Durian 200 gram
Condensed milk 4 tbsp
Green beans without skin 150 gram
Wheat flour, rice flour 1 tablespoon each
Coconut milk 300 ml
Chicken eggs 1 fruit
Pandan leaves 100 gram
Road 1 tbsp

Notes when choosing ingredients:

– You should choose sticky rice with large, round grains, a light aroma and a slightly sweet taste when you bite it.

– A well-ripe durian is a mossy green color that turns yellow, its thorns bloom evenly and it has a characteristic strong aroma.

– Unshelled green beans are chosen to have a beautiful golden color and are free from mold and insects.

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Some ingredients needed to prepare sticky rice with coconut and durian milk. Photo: Bach Hoa Xanh

Step 1: First you need to prepare the ingredients, such as soaking the sticky rice in water for about 2-4 hours or better yet, if you have time, soak it overnight. When the sticky rice seeds have bloomed, we will rinse them with clean water. With durian, you need to separate the durian rice and wash and drain the pandan leaves.

Step 2: To cook sticky rice, you need to mix sticky rice with 1 teaspoon of salt and prepare a pot of boiling water. Next, we will put the washed bunch of pandan leaves in water, put the sticky rice in the basket, use our hands to make a hole so that the heat can easily rise, then steam it in a water bath for about 30-40 minutes. When the sticky rice is cooked, add 50 ml of cooking oil and sprinkle 30 grams of sugar, mix well then steam for about 2 more minutes.

Step 3: To make the first filling, you need to separate the egg yolks and egg whites, using only the yolk alone. Next we will put the egg yolk, 1 spoon of rice flour and 1 spoon of flour into the bowl and mix the mixture well, add 4 spoons of condensed milk. Then add 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon sugar and stir well.

When the mixture is smooth, add 150 ml of fresh coconut water to the mixture and continue stirring. Finally, we filter the mixture with a mesh until smooth, then add 150 ml of filtered water and stir well. If it’s done, put the mixture in the pan, add about 2 segments of durian meat and cook while stirring until the mixture thickens.

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When the mixture is as thick as the picture, you can stop. Photo: Bach Hoa Xanh

Step 4: In this step of making coconut and durian sticky rice, you will add 150 ml of coconut milk and the remaining durian to the surface of the sticky rice, cover the pot and steam for about 10 minutes. We turn off the heat before mixing the sticky rice and durian together.

Step 5: To complete the sticky rice with coconut and durian milk, you will put the sticky rice on a plate and pour the filling on the surface of the sticky rice. You can also add a little coconut milk if you like.

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The finished dish of sticky rice with coconut and durian milk is hot and delicious. Photo: Delicious Food Every Day

So we know where to enjoy and how to make delicious durian coconut sticky rice. If you like a richer flavor, you can consider cooking sticky rice with pure coconut milk, or serving sticky rice with some fresh durian. Hopefully with the useful travel experiences provided by Vietnamtravelio above, you will have a wonderful and unforgettable culinary experience.