Sticky Rice with Thai Jasmine rice

Sticky Rice is a dish, main course prepared in most of the Southeast Asian, East Asian, North-eastern India and Bhutan; with Glutinous rice/sweet rice/waxy rice.

Glutinous rice is a non-gluten rice, it derives its name due to its sticky, glue-like nature. It is opaque white, denser and has more calories. Its texture is chewy but satisfying. This rice gives best results if it is soaked minimum 5 hrs- maximum overnight. This lengthy soaking helps the rice to get saturated with water. Traditionally, it is steamed in a bamboo container or steamer for 20 minutes in medium flame and iy uses a customized bamboo cone known as Huad. In general, sticky rice is used as bread chunks or like cutleries to scoop out their salad or BBQ meats or to dip in sauces.

My version of Sticky rice is with Thai Jasmine rice in the place of glutinous rice. The reason why I prefer Jasmine rice is for its fragrance and swiftness in cooking in contrast to glutinous rice.

What is Thai Jasmine rice- it’s a Thai staple grain also called as Hom Mali in their region which translates to Hom as fragrance and Mali as jasmine for its aroma resembling the flower Jasmine. It’s less sticky in nature and can be scaled between Thai glutinous rice and Japanese Sushi rice. It’s also soft and fluffy in texture. One more reason why I chose jasmine rice is because it can be served with many Asian curries, main courses and even in making fried rice.

Tips and techniques for Jasmine sticky rice–

• If you wash the rice twice, extra starch and fragrance will go off. Wash only once.
• It’s a gluten free rice. For firmer rice, add 1 ¼ – 1 ½ water to 1 cup rice. For softer rice, add 2 cups water to 1 cup rice.
• Generally, sticky rice is made with Glutinous rice/sweet rice/waxy rice. I transformed jasmine rice into sticky rice, to enhance its sticky nature and flavour, I added sugar, coconut milk and butter.
• For coconut milk, either use store-bought coconut milk powder, prepare thick coconut milk according to the instructions given in the pack. If you are preparing from scratch, grind ½ cup grated coconut with water and strain, squeeze to get 1 cup thick coconut milk.
• When you close and cook the rice for 5 minutes or to let the liquid to reduce, keep an eye on it, as coconut milk has the tendency to overflow. Either keep in low-medium flame to prevent overflowing or stand nearby and keep opening the lid consistently to avoid overflowing.

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Wash only once the rice to retain the fragrance and soak them for 30 minutes. Heat a pan with 1 cup water.

Then add 1 cup Coconut milk (refer notes),

Sugar, salt.

And the soaked rice. Mix well.

Close it and cook in medium flame (refer notes) for 5 minutes,

After 5 minutes or till the liquid get absorbed, open and stir the rice.

And add a tbsp of butter, mix well.

And close it, cook in complete low flame for 15 minutes (dum style).

After the given time, switch off the flame and give another 5 minutes standing time. Later, stir the rice.

Jasmine sticky rice is ready to serve with Teriyaki sauce, teriyaki stir fry veggies and teriyaki chicken. It can be served with any South Asian dish.

Recipe card

Preparation time: 2 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Cuisine: International, Thai

Category: Main Course

Serves: 2

Author: Manimala

Ingredients:

Jasmine rice/Hom Mali– 1 cup

Water – 1 cup

Coconut milk – 1 cup

Sugar – 2 tsp

Salt – 1 tsp or as required

Butter/vegan butter – 1 tbsp

Instructions:

1. Wash only once the rice to retain the fragrance and soak them for 30 minutes.
2. Heat a pan with 1 cup water, 1 cup Coconut milk (refer notes), sugar, salt and the soaked rice. Mix well.
3. Close it and cook in medium flame (refer notes) for 5 minutes, till the liquid get absorbed.
4. After 5 minutes, stir the rice and add a tbsp of butter, mix well and close it, cook in complete low flame for 15 minutes (dum style).
5. After the given time, switch off the flame and give another 5 minutes standing time. Later, stir the rice.
6. Jasmine sticky rice is ready to serve with Teriyaki sauce, teriyaki stir fry veggies and teriyaki chicken. It can be served with any South Asian dish.

Notes:

• Jasmine rice (Hom mali) – it’s a Thai staple grain derived its name due to its resemblance of jasmine fragrance. It’s less sticky in nature, lies between Thai sticky rice and Sushi rice.
• If you wash the rice twice, extra starch will go off. Wash only once.
• It’s a gluten free rice. For firmer rice, add 1 ¼ – 1 ½ water to 1 cup rice. For softer rice, add 2 cups water to 1 cup rice.
• Generally, sticky rice is made with Thai sticky grain. I transformed jasmine rice into sticky rice, as I like its fragrance.
• So, I added sugar, coconut milk and butter to enhance the sticky texture and flavour.
• For coconut milk, either use store-bought coconut milk powder and prepare thick coconut milk according to the instructions given in the pack. If you are preparing from scratch, grind ½ cup grated coconut with water and strain, squeeze to get 1 cup thick coconut milk.
• When you close and cook the rice for 5 minutes to let the liquid to reduce, keep an eye on it, as coconut milk has the tendency to overflow. Either keep in low-medium flame to prevent overflowing or stand nearby and keep opening the lid consistently to avoid overflowing.