Vietnamese Sticky rice recipe, also referred to as glutinous rice , or sweet rice is one of the well-known variety of rice across Asia and should not be confused with the rice we refer to in the term “white rice” (a term that could refer to anything that falls between Jasmine rice and short grain white rice that is not glutinous and much more).
It’s delicious sticky rice that’s frequently used in sweet and savoury recipes. It’s actually quite simple to make perfect sticky rice at your home!
What exactly is sticky rice, also known as glutinous rice?
It’s crucial to remember that this rice doesn’t contain gluten. The name glutinous rice is because of its glue-like, sticky texture. The extremely sticky texture is what differentiates glutinous rice from other white rice.
Most rice is made up of two kinds of starches that affect the texture of the rice after it has been cooked to its fullest: amylose and amylopectin. The more amylose starches that a rice type has the more dispersed the grains will become after cooking. The more amylopectin-containing starches that the rice is made up of, the more sticky and more gelatinous the rice will be.
For instance, Jasmine rice has higher amounts of amylose as well as separate granules after cooking. The rice that is sticky is unique because it isn’t loaded with amylose and is the most concentrated amount of amylopectin. That is why it’s perfect for desserts with a super sticky texture and other recipes.
What do you eat when there is sticky rice?
Dessert and sticky rice go hand-in-hand and there are a myriad of ways to take advantage of sticky rice. Some of them include Biko, sticky rice made of pandan, champorado and many other options. One of my favourite ways to consume glutinous rice is eating mango-sticky rice -um do I really need any explanation?
Don’t let the appearance fool you, there is a way to enjoy sticky rice along with other spicy food items. As a child my mom and grandmother served sticky rice for me with the addition with Chinese sausages and it was the perfect snack for when I was hungry. Today you can find sticky rice in the menu on the menus of your neighborhood Thai, Vietnamese, Filipino and many other Asian eateries and convenience shops.
What techniques can you employ to make sticky rice?
Like the other kinds of rices, you can find many methods to cook homemade sticky rice next time you’re hungry for it cooking on the stovetop (similar to the way I made it in the recipe for Biko), rice cooker, instant pot steamer, or instant pot. In most cases, I’ve discovered that the simplest method of making sticky rice is by soaking the rice for a night prior to steaming.
While waiting for a night can be lengthy, it will reduce the cooking time active and produces plump, crunchy rice. I prefer using a steamer for cooking the rice as it’s simpler to cook perfectly sticky rice. Since it isn’t sitting in the water in a pool and isn’t surrounded by much water. Simply add more steaming time until the rice is cooked. It won’t cause any problems during the cooking process like in a rice cooker, by closing the lid. This can do whenever you want to verify the cooking process while it floats towards the end of the line.
Tips for cooking
- Do not soak the glutinous rice prior to cooking to decrease the amount of time that you’re facing the stove.
- If you’re making use of bamboo steamers make sure to soak them and then heat the steamers in order to increase moisture and a precise temperature while cooking.
- Make sure to not close the lid until it is done cooking so that you don’t be able to lose steam and heat within the steamer. If it’s your first time trying to nail the timing initially, you can do it. It’s not a problem to ruin the cooking process. You can only prolong the cooking time by closing the lid.
Preheating and storage
To store any extra sticky rice, put your rice into an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up four days. To heat the rice, put it in a bowl that can be microwaved and add the water in a few drops and then sprinkle a moist newspaper towel over. I prefer to heat the rice in 30 second intervals to avoid it overcooking in the process and drying.
If you’re looking to learn how to cook non-glutinous rice such as jasmine rice, then you can learn you can cook rice over the stove, rice cooker or using the microwave.
How to Make Sticky Rice Recipe (Easy and Foolproof Method)
Equipment
- hand towel or cheese cloth
- Bamboo Steamer
- Mixing bowl
- pot/pan
Ingredients
- 208 g glutinous sticky rice
- 6 c water plus more for steamer
Instructions
- A mixing bowl mix the glutinous rice with water. Cover the bowl with a lid or towel and allow to it sit for at the minimum 8 hours..
- In a saucepan of water on medium-high heat, place the steamer, and then line it with cheesecloth. The steamer should be heated for approximately two minutes, or till you begin seeing steam rise up above the steamer.
- Then, drain the water out of the rice that is soaked.
- Incorporate rice into the preheated steamer that is lined with cheesecloth, and distribute it all over.
- Cover with lid and let it steam for about 17-18 minutes. Be sure to include water in the pot during the process of steaming to ensure that the pot isn't depleted of water.
- Take the lid off and test your rice's texture. it is supposed to be soft, plump and chewy. The rice shouldn't be too hard or mushy. If the texture is not soft for you then you can shut the lid and let it cook for another two minutes before checking the texture once more. Cook until it has reached the desired final texture since it will cease to cook after you have removed it from the stove.
- Serve immediately
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