Equipment
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 400 g glutinous rice
- ml water
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 97 kcal
- Protein
- 2 g
- Carbohydrates
- 21 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fiber
- 1 g
- Sugar
- 0 g
- Sodium
- 5 mg
- Potassium
- 10 mg
- Calcium
- 6 mg
- Iron
- 0.4 mg
- Magnesium
- 15 mg
- Phosphorus
- 24 mg
- Zinc
- 1.2 mg
Sources: Aggregated Public Data
Method
Place the glutinous rice in a mixing bowl and cover with cold water. Agitate gently with your hands, then drain using a fine mesh strainer. Repeat this process 3 to 4 times until the water runs completely clear.
Cover the rinsed rice with at least 5 centimeters of fresh cold water. Let it soak at room temperature for a minimum of 4 hours, or overnight if preferred. The grains will turn opaque white.
Drain the soaked rice thoroughly. Line your steamer basket with a damp piece of cheesecloth. Pour the rice into the center of the cloth and spread it into an even layer, leaving a small well in the center to allow steam to rise evenly.
Fill the steamer pot with enough water so it sits just below the steamer basket. Bring the water to a rolling boil at 100°C/212°F. Place the covered steamer basket over the boiling water.
Steam the rice for 25 minutes. Halfway through cooking, use the corners of the cheesecloth to carefully flip the mass of rice over to ensure even cooking, then cover and continue steaming.
Remove the steamer from the heat. Transfer the cooked sticky rice to a serving vessel, traditionally a woven bamboo basket, which allows excess steam to escape and prevents the rice from getting soggy.
Chef's Notes
- Despite its name, glutinous rice contains no gluten; the term refers to its glue-like, sticky texture when cooked, which comes from a high amylopectin starch content.
- Do not skip the rinsing step. Washing away the excess surface starch prevents the grains from melding into an unappetizing, gummy paste.
- If you forget to soak your rice ahead of time, you can do a quick-soak using hot water for 1 hour, though cold soaking yields a superior texture.
- For enhanced flavor, try throwing a bruised pandan leaf into the boiling steamer water. The aromatic steam will gently perfume the rice.
Storage
Refrigerator: 3 days — Store in an airtight container. Will harden in the fridge; requires proper reheating to soften.
Freezer: 1 month — Wrap tightly in plastic wrap while still slightly warm, then place in a freezer bag.
Reheating: Microwave covered with a damp paper towel until steaming, or re-steam in a basket for 5-10 minutes until soft.
Troubleshooting
Rice is crunchy or hard in the center.
Cause: The rice was not soaked long enough, or the steam was not vigorous enough to penetrate the grains.
Fix: Sprinkle the rice with 2 to 3 tablespoons of boiling water, cover, and steam for an additional 10 minutes.
Prevention: Ensure a minimum 4-hour soak time and maintain a rolling boil while steaming.
Rice is overly mushy and wet.
Cause: Rice was boiled in water rather than steamed, or sat directly in boiling water inside the steamer.
Fix: Cannot be fixed. Repurpose as a rice porridge (congee).
Prevention: Always use a steaming setup and ensure the water level in the pot is below the bottom of the steamer basket.
Cultural Context
Glutinous rice, or sticky rice (Khao Niao), is the staple carbohydrate of Northern and Isan (Northeastern) Thailand, as well as Laos. Traditionally, it is eaten by hand; diners pull off a small lump, knead it lightly into a ball, and use it to scoop up vibrant salads like som tam (green papaya salad) or rich curries. Its sticky nature makes it the ultimate communal and interactive food.
