Ruou nep (sticky rice brew) is a brew made from sticky rice which has been fermented with yeast. The result is a thick, sweet pudding. Ruou nep smells like young rice in the field and tastes slightly of alcohol. Some forms of ruou nep may be drunk while others, which are thick, must be eaten with a spoon.
There are two kinds of ruou nep: one a deep purple red and the other a bright yellow. The grains of yellow rice are shorter and stickier than the red kind. This kind of ruou nep comes from the Red River Delta, while the red version is grown in the south and in the northern highlands. Both varieties, however, are served in the north. This dish is not traditionally prepared in the south.
This dish is sold year-round. The taste is said to improve with age and bottles of ruou nep are often kept for over a year. On May 5th of the lunar calendar, everyone eats ruou nep. According to an old superstition, on this day it is easy to get sick and a bowl of ruou nep will help to keep healthy. It will brighten spirits too.
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 is a brew made from sticky rice which has been fermented with yeast. The result is a thick, sweet pudding. Ruou nep smells like young rice in the field and tastes slightly of alcohol. Some forms of ruou nep may be drunk while others, which are thick, must be eaten with a spoon.)
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