Making Thai Sticky Rice Food

HOW TO MAKE THAI STICKY RICE (วิธีทำ ข้าวเหนียว)

Steps:

• The night before you want to cook sticky rice, take your raw sticky rice, place it into a bowl or plastic tub, submerge in water, and allow to soak room temperature overnight. Alternatively, you can soak for at least 4 - 5 hours, but overnight is best.
• Take the sticky rice out of the water (and the grains should be softer and a little swollen), and place into a bamboo steamer, or any type of steamer. Cover the steamer with either a lid, or you can do what I did and cover the basket with a cloth, then a metal lid - just to keep all the steam within the rice.
• Add water to a pot with the steamer over the pot (just make sure the water doesn't touch the sticky rice), and once the water comes to a boil, steam for 15 - 20 minutes (usually 15 minutes for me is perfect) on a medium heat.
• After 15 minutes take off the lid carefully, because it will be very hot, and just grab a taste test of the sticky rice to make sure it's soft and fluffy. If it's still a little crunchy, steam for a few more minutes, but if it's good to go, turn off the heat and either eat immediately, or transfer to some sort of airtight container or basket to hold until you're ready to eat.
• Enjoy Thai sticky rice while it's hot and fresh.

BASIC STICKY RICE

Steps:

• Soak the rice in a container that holds at least twice the volume of rice: Cover the rice with 2 to 3 inches of room-temperature water and soak for 6 to 24 hours. If you need to shorten the soaking time, soak the rice in warm (about 100 degree) water for 2 hours. The longer soak gives more flavor and a more even, tender texture, but the rice is perfectly edible with the shorter soak in warm water.
• Drain the rice and place in a steamer basket. Set the steamer basket over several inches of boiling water in a large pot or a wok. The rice must not be in or touching the boiling water. Cover and steam for 25 minutes, or until the rice is shiny and tender. Turn the rice over after about 20 minutes, so the top layer is on the bottom. Be careful that your pot doesn't run dry during steaming; add more water if necessary, making sure to keep it from touching the rice.
• Turn the cooked rice out onto a clean work surface. Use a long-handled wooden spoon to flatten it out a little, then turn it over on itself, first from one side, then from the other, a little like folding over dough as you knead. This helps get rid of any clumps; after several foldings, the rice will be an even round lump. Place it in a covered basket or in a serving bowl covered by a damp cloth or a lid. Serve warm or at room temperature, directly from the basket or bowl. The rice will dry out if exposed to the air for long as it cools, so keep covered until serving.
• Soak the rice in a container that holds at least twice the volume of rice: Cover the rice with 2 to 3 inches of room-temperature water and soak for 6 to 24 hours. If you need to shorten the soaking time, soak the rice in warm (about 100 degree) water for 2 hours. The longer soak gives more flavor and a more even, tender texture, but the rice is perfectly edible with the shorter soak in warm water.
• Drain the rice and place in a steamer basket. Set the steamer basket over several inches of boiling water in a large pot or a wok. The rice must not be in or touching the boiling water. Cover and steam for 25 minutes, or until the rice is shiny and tender. Turn the rice over after about 20 minutes, so the top layer is on the bottom. Be careful that your pot doesn't run dry during steaming; add more water if necessary, making sure to keep it from touching the rice.
• Turn the cooked rice out onto a clean work surface. Use a long-handled wooden spoon to flatten it out a little, then turn it over on itself, first from one side, then from the other, a little like folding over dough as you knead. This helps get rid of any clumps; after several foldings, the rice will be an even round lump. Place it in a covered basket or in a serving bowl covered by a damp cloth or a lid. Serve warm or at room temperature, directly from the basket or bowl. The rice will dry out if exposed to the air for long as it cools, so keep covered until serving.

THAI STICKY RICE

Steps:

• Place rice in a large bowl and add enough room-temperature water to cover by 1 inch. Soak at least 4 hours and up to 10. Once rice has soaked, rinse rattan basket to dampen, then set upright in a colander. Rinse cheesecloth to dampen, then line the inside of the rattan basket in an even layer (there will be overhang). Set aside.
• Drain rice by slowly pouring off the water; when most of the water is gone, run the tap gently over the rice to rinse it, letting the water overflow from the bowl. As the tap runs, use your hand to gently stir the rice. The water will be cloudy at first, but it will become almost clear after 2-3 minutes. At that point, drain the rice in the sink using the cloth-lined basket fitted over the colander (discard the rinsing water). Add water to the steamer pot to a depth of 2 inches. Add pandan leaf, then bring water to a boil over high heat, 5 minutes.
• Tie the cheesecloth into a bundle so the rice is completely enveloped. Place the rattan basket on top of the steamer pot. Reduce heat to medium, and place a pot lid that fits snugly inside the steamer directly on top of the rice bundle. Allow the rice to steam for 15 minutes.
• After 15 minutes, remove pot lid. Use tongs to flip the cheesecloth bundle, so the top of the bundle now rests against the bottom of the basket. (Use the lid for assistance if necessary.) Replace the lid and steam for 15 more minutes.
• After a total of 30-35 minutes of steaming, remove rice cooker from heat. Serve immediately, or place rice bundle in an insulated container (such as an ice bucket) to maintain the heat, keeping the container covered until ready to serve, up to 1 hour.