Sweet sticky rice is steamed to create a thick consistency for dipping.
Sticky rice is a staple of Thai cuisine, and is common in other Asian countries as a type of rice you ball up with your fingers and dip in other foods. Called sweet sticky rice, or glutinous rice, because the rice used has a slightly sweet taste and becomes sticky when steamed. Popular for a dessert rice with added sweeteners, basic sweet sticky rice is a side dish served with almost every meal in some Asian cuisine.
Instructions
1. Rinse 1 cup of Thai sticky rice or glutinous rice in cool water two to three times until the water runs clear.
2. Place the rice in the pot and cover with enough cool or room temperature water to leave 2 to 3 inches above the level of the rice.
3. Soak the rice at least an hour, or overnight if desired. Soaking a long period of time reduces cooking time as sticky rice has a hard outer shell.
4. Drain the water into the bottom of the steamer or pot, and place the rice in the steaming basket. You can place a layer of cheesecloth in the steamer beneath the rice if you are using a bamboo steamer to keep the rice from sticking to the bamboo. This is the traditional method but not necessary for modern rice steamers. Place the lid on the steamer.
5. Bring the water to a boil and steam the rice for 10 minutes, then stir the rice so the rice from the top is rotated to the bottom of the steamer.
6. Steam the rice another 10 minutes. Test the rice by taking out a small bit. The rice should be translucent and chewy with a sticky consistency, but not soggy. If it is not done steam in two-minute increments until the rice is done. Bamboo steamers can take longer than metal ones, and the time you soaked the rice can affect cooking time. Serve the rice immediately when done.
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