Xôi ngũ sắc

Xôi ngũ sắc or five-color sticky rice is a traditional dish of the Tay ethnic group in the Vietnamese Sapa. The dish is made of five different types of sticky rice, each one with a distinctive color – red for fire, green for wood, yellow for earth, black for water, and white for metal. Depending on the region, there can be other colors in these five types of rice, but red, yellow, and green are obligatory. In order to make the dish, glutinous rice should be soaked in water for 6 to 8 hours until it blooms. It's then divided and dyed with the coloring from vegetables and fruits from the local forests. When steamed and served, the white pile of rice is usually in the topmost position, while the colors which will fade the most easily are placed at the bottom of the serving plate (or a banana leaf). The Tay people believe that the more colorful the rice is, the more prosperous the family will be in the following year. Five-color sticky rice is traditionally prepared for New Year or similar festive events.