How to Cook Sticky Rice

Sticky rice, also known as glutinous rice or sweet rice, is a special variety of rice that becomes beautifully soft, chewy, and sticky when cooked. Sticky rice is the main ingredient in mango sticky rice, sushi and other popular recipes. Cooking sticky rice is definitely the most tricky part. In this blog post, I have shared perfect way to cook sticky rice using steamer and a sauce pan. 

How to cook sticky rice

Delicious sticky rice which can be served with any Asian side dishes. One of the main ingredient in making sticky rice with mangoes or sushi. We bought a huge packet of sushi rice from our Japan trip and its been sitting in the pantry for a long time. So let’s use it to make variety of sticky rice recipes. Stay tuned.

About Sticky Rice

Sticky rice, also known as glutinous rice, sushi rice or sweet rice is a special variety of rice that becomes beautifully soft, chewy, and sticky when cooked. It is widely used in Southeast Asia, China, Japan, and Korea. 

Some of the most famous dishes like mango sticky rice, Garaetteok (rice cakes). Japanese mochi uses sticky rice as main ingredient.  Its unique texture makes it ideal for both sweet and savory recipes. Sticky rice is incredibly versatile. You can steam it, wrap it in banana leaves, mix it into dumplings, or pound it into desserts. You can pair with curries, dip in sauces, or transformed into sweets.

Cooking sticky rice properly can be quite tricky. When cooked properly, sticky rice gets a shiny, glossy exterior and chewy texture. It also gets sticky to the right texture. I find that sticky rice gets proper texture when steamed rather than cooking on a sauce pan. But for making rolls, sushi, kimbap you can cook them in a sauce pan. It is totally upto you. 

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Sticky rice with mango

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Japanese ice cream mochi

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Best way to cook sticky rice

Any which way you choose, it is important to wash and soak rice for at least 8 to 10 hours. This step softens the rice and ensures it cooks evenly. 

Sauce pan method – most easy and quick method. The ratio for rice to water is 1:1. Make sure to rinse the rice and soak them for at least 8 hours. If you don’t have much time, You can soak sticky rice in hot water for 1 hour.  Sauce pot sticky rice is great in making rolls, sushi, kimbap. 

Rice cooker method – when using rice cooker, you don’t have to worry about cooking time. Most of the rice cooker has sticky rice option. The ratio for rice to water is 1:¾. For every 1 cup rice, use ¾ cup of water. 

Steaming method – most ideal way of cooking rice. Wash and soak rice overnight. Strain and spread on a steamer pot lined with parchment paper or cheesecloth. Steam it for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Make sure to flip the rice in-between for even cooking. 

Sticky rice also known as sushi rice or glutinous rice. There are variety of sticky rice available in the market. Regular sushi rice, black rice or purple sticky rice. Black rice tends to give darker colour to your dishes. There are glutinous rice flour available in the market too.

Expert Tips

• Soaking rice overnight is important for faster cooking and even cooking.
• If you don’t have much time, you can soak the rice in hot water for 1 hour.
• Make sure to line the steamer basket with cheesecloth or parchment to prevent sticking.
• Ensure to flip the rice every 10 mins for even cooking.
• Always taste and check, some rice tends to cook faster.

Step by Step Pictures

Steaming Method (Traditional & Authentic)

1)Wash sticky rice multiple times in water. Now cover with fresh water and allow them to soak for 8 to 10 hours. Ideally overnight. 

2)Strain the rice through a sieve.

3)Take a steamer basket, I used a bamboo steamer. Line with cheesecloth or parchment paper.

4) Spread the rice over the parchment evenly. Make multiple holes on the rice to ensure even steaming. 

5)Place the basket over a pan of hot water. Cover and steam for 45 minutes to 1 hour.

6)Make sure to flip the rice using a ladle every 10 minutes for even steaming. After 45 minutes start tasting the rice, it should be cooked, with slight chewy texture.

7)This means your rice is cooked. Remove the steamer basket carefully from the steaming pot. 

8)Gather the rice together and shape as per your preference. Serve hot. If you are not serving it right away, you can wrap the rice in plastic wrap or cling wrap and keep covered.  Use in sticky rice with mangoes or enjoy with curries or dip. 

Sauce Pan Method (Easy & Fast) – Great for kimbap, rolls, sushi

1)The ratio for rice to water is 1:1. Make sure to rinse the rice and soak them for at least 8 hours. If you don’t have much time, You can soak sticky rice in hot water for 1 hour.  Take soaked, strained rice in a sauce pan.

2)Add in 1 cup of water and place on heat. Bring it to a full boil. Mix it gently.

3)Reduce the flame and cook covered for 8 to 10 minutes on very low heat until the water is fully absorbed by the rice. 

4)Use a fork to gently fluff up the rice.

5)Cover it with a lid and let it sit for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, you can serve. 

📖 Recipe Card

How to Cook Sticky Rice (Traditional & Easy Method)

Aarthi

Sticky rice, also known as glutinous rice or sweet rice, is a special variety of rice that becomes beautifully soft, chewy, and sticky when cooked. Sticky rice is the main ingredient in mango sticky rice, sushi and other popular recipes. Cooking sticky rice is definitely the most tricky part. In this blog post, I have shared perfect way to cook sticky rice using steamer and a sauce pan. 

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Soaking Time 10 hours hrs

Total Time 11 hours hrs 10 minutes mins

Course Basics

Cuisine Japan

Servings 2 servings

Calories 342 kcal

Instructions 

Steaming Method

• Wash sticky rice multiple times in water. Now cover with fresh water and allow them to soak for 8 to 10 hours. Ideally overnight.

• Strain the rice through a sieve. Take a steamer basket, I used a bamboo steamer. Line with cheesecloth or parchment paper. Spread the rice over the parchment evenly. Make multiple holes on the rice to ensure even steaming.

• Place the basket over a pan of hot water. Cover and steam for 45 minutes to 1 hour. Make sure to flip the rice using a ladle every 10 minutes for even steaming. After 45 minutes start tasting the rice, it should be cooked, with slight chewy texture. This means your rice is cooked. Remove the steamer basket carefully from the steaming pot.

• Gather the rice together and shape as per your preference. Serve hot. If you are not serving it right away, you can wrap the rice in plastic wrap or cling wrap and keep covered.

• Use in sticky rice with mangoes or enjoy with curries or dip.

Sauce pan method

• The ratio for rice to water is 1:1. Make sure to rinse the rice and soak them for at least 8 hours. If you don’t have much time, You can soak sticky rice in hot water for 1 hour.

• Take soaked, strained rice in a sauce pan. Add in 1 cup of water and place on heat. Bring it to a full boil. Mix it gently. Reduce the flame and cook covered for 8 to 10 minutes on very low heat until the water is fully absorbed by the rice.

• Use a fork to gently fluff up the rice. Cover it with a lid and let it sit for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, you can serve.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servingsCalories: 342kcalCarbohydrates: 76gProtein: 6gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.2gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.2gSodium: 6mgPotassium: 71mgFiber: 3gCalcium: 10mgIron: 1mg

If you have any questions not covered in this post and if you need help, leave me a comment or mail me @aarthi198689@gmail.com and I’ll help as soon as I can.

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