Xôi chiên phồng is a Vietnamese item made from a blended paste of sticky rice, sesame seed, and other “secret” ingredients. The dough ball is dropped into a large pot of bubbling oil where it balloons into a large hollow edible 10′ sphere. Chewy, crunchy, a tad sweet, with a superb texture! Read more at www.eatingsaigon.com

Eds’ note: From restaurant Quán Bảy Đực (26/4 Xô Nghệ Tính Binh Thạnh District)