Sticky rice as a side in Thailand and Laos

In Isan, the northeast of Thailand, in the north of the country and in Laos, sticky rice goes with almost every meal. There it replaces cutlery: you pull off a portion, press it into a ball in your hand and dip it into salad, dip or sauce. The rice comes to the table in a small woven bamboo basket with a lid, the kratip, where it stays warm and soft. The article Cooking Sticky Rice in the kitchen knowledge section describes origins, types and buying.

How to steam sticky rice

Soaking

Soak the rice for at least 4 hours. Overnight works most reliably. The grains turn chalky white and can be crushed between two fingers. If you skip this step, a hard core stays in the grain, even after a long cooking time.

Steaming

In Thailand, cooks steam the rice in a cone-shaped bamboo basket, the huad, over a tall aluminum pot. At home you use a bamboo steamer, a metal steamer insert or a sieve that fits in a pot with a lid. Line the insert with a damp piece of cheesecloth or a kitchen towel so no grains fall through the holes. The water in the pot must not touch the rice. After about 15 minutes, turn the whole mass of rice with a spatula so the top gets steam too. The rice is done when no grain is white in the middle.

Keeping it warm

Put the rice in a bowl or a bamboo basket and cover it with a damp cloth. Left open, it forms a hard crust after half an hour.

Common mistakes

• Boiled in water: If you cook sticky rice in a pot like jasmine rice, it turns to mush. Sticky rice needs steam.
• Pot boils dry: Over 30 minutes of cooking, a lot of water evaporates. Check halfway and top up with hot water.
• Rice in the fridge: Cold, sticky rice goes hard. Steam leftovers for 5 minutes or warm them in the microwave under a damp paper towel.

How much sticky rice per person?

The recipe card counts on 50 g of raw rice per person. That is enough if you put several dishes on the table. If sticky rice is the only side with grilled meat and salad, plan on 80 to 100 g per person.

What goes with it

The classic from Isan is Gai Yang, marinated grilled chicken, together with spicy green papaya Som Tam. With the spicy minced meat salad Laab Gai, you shape small balls from the rice and use them to pick up meat and sauce. In Bangkok, street stalls sell Moo Ping, grilled pork skewers, in the morning with a bag of sticky rice.

Sweet variations

You can make mango sticky rice from the same steamed rice. Mix the hot rice with warmed coconut milk, sugar and a pinch of salt and let it sit covered for 20 minutes. Black sticky rice, called khao niew dam in Thai, needs longer soaking and tastes nuttier. Thais eat it as a dessert with coconut milk.