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Thai: Traditional Sticky Rice

Source of Recipe

From "The Pepper Thai Cookbook" by Pepper Teigen


Recipe Introduction

"Although you can make sticky rice very quickly in the microwave (see Note), at least once you should make it the traditional way. There's nothing exactly like the chewy and tender texture of real Thai-style sticky rice. Thankfully, all you need is a steamer basket (you can use a basic metal one or find a bamboo steamer online or in a Thai market) and some cheesecloth or a clean dish towel. Back in Korat, my grandparents worked as rice farmers. My grandpa (I remember him being short and skinny and a very hard worker) would farm the rice himself without any modern machinery. He made sure we never spilled a single grain when we were eating because he knew how much work it took to grow. As far as I know, they ate sticky rice at every meal�always in a big bamboo basket in the center of the table so it stayed warm. And we always had to leave a little behind in case our ancestors' spirits happened to visit in the middle of the night and wanted something to eat! All of which is to say, I really love sticky rice! Give me a little bamboo basket filled with rice and some nam prik pao or jaew nam jim and I'm happy. Every Asian supermarket and some American supermarkets will carry sticky rice (sometimes labeled glutinous or sweet rice), but for the best taste I suggest trying to find a Thai brand. From there, it's as simple as soak (the rice needs to soak for at least 2 hours), rinse, steam, and serve. One more great thing about sticky rice is that it will stay moist for a long time if you store it correctly. I suggest making a large batch like the recipe below and placing the leftovers in plastic sandwich bags. Keep them in the fridge, and when you're ready to reheat, splash a tiny amount of water on the rice and microwave until soft and warmed through."

List of Ingredients

◦ 4 cups uncooked Thai glutinous (sweet) rice


Recipe

Place the rice in a bowl and cover with cold water. Swish the rice around until the water becomes cloudy, then drain the rice in a sieve. Return the rice to a bowl and repeat until the water runs clear, not milky. Cover the rice with warm water and let it soak for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours.

Assemble a steamer: Fill a pot with a few inches of water and bring to a boil over high heat.

Line a steamer basket with a double layer of damp cheesecloth large enough to hang over the edges of the basket. Drain the soaked rice and transfer to the cheesecloth-lined steamer basket, using your hands to spread the rice into an even layer. Fold the cheesecloth over the rice to form a loose bundle.

When the water in the steamer pot is boiling, reduce the heat to a steady simmer. Place the steamer basket over the pot, making sure the steamer basket isn't touching the water. Cover the pot and steamer with a lid. Steam for 15 minutes, then uncover the pot and carefully flip the cheesecloth bundle over. Cover again and continue to cook until the rice is tender but still chewy, about 15 more minutes. Remove from the heat and let the rice rest for 10 minutes.

If serving immediately, remove the rice from the cheesecloth and transfer it to a bowl. Cover to keep warm. Divide what you're not eating right away into small resealable plastic bags for individual portions. The wrapped sticky rice will keep for up to 1 week in the fridge; just splash some water on the cold rice and microwave until heated through.

Serves 6 to 8






❧ Note:
To make sticky rice in the microwave, place the sticky rice in a microwave-safe bowl and cover with 1 � cups warm water. Let soak for at least 10 minutes or up to 1 hour. Cover the bowl with an upside-down plate or plastic wrap and microwave on high for 3 minutes. Carefully stir the rice from top to bottom, then cover and cook the rice for another 3 minutes. Repeat the process, stirring and microwaving 3 minutes at a time, until all the water has been absorbed and the rice has turned translucent (this means it's cooked). Set aside to cool slightly.