"Sticky Rice"?

I've always thought that "sticky rice" was a basic recipe for the kind of rice served with Japanese or Chinese food -- in other words, steamed rice.

And furthermore, I thought it was made with regular long-grain rice and cooked (steamed) simply whereby it naturally comes out a bit "sticky".

I didn't know that "stick rice" was a special recipe that sometimes included mango.

For my version "sticky rice", I use Mahatma brand white rice.

I usually rinse the rice a few times (2-3) to get rid of SOME of the starchy coating (I don't want it TOO sticky). When I want a fluffier rice, I rinse my rice at least 10 times.

For a small amount of rice (2-4 servings), I place one cup of rice in a sauce pan and 2-1/4 cups of water. I bring the rice to a boil and immediately turn the heat to the lowest setting. I cook on this heat for 15 minutes. Then I turn off the heat and put a towel over the pot (usually inside the lid so that the lid holds the towel in place tightly). I wait another 15 minutes and then I stir up the rice a little bit.

For more rice, I put 2 or 3 cups of rice in a Dutch oven and put twice as much water in (4-6 cups) and cook for 20-22 minutes on low heat and then 20-22 minutes with the towel on no heat.

I always fluff it a bit before it gets to the table.

But I know that there are some cuisines whereby the guest is allowed to use their fingers to roll some rice into a ball for eating with or without some other food; in which case, I wouldn't fluff the rice.

Joe

I think vicki means the glutinous rice used in cuisines like Thai, Laotian, etc. It is usually steamed in a special basket with a cover and often served with sweetened coconut milk and mango as a dessert or snack. Sometimes people call it sweet rice, even if being used to eat savory foods.

It comes in white or black varieties but the black is usually used only in desserts and usually cut with the white.

I don't think it is the same as the rice used for sushi, which is a different size and shape of grain.

I did a quick google search and found this page that has some info on it, and some cooking methods.

Here is a link that might be useful: Some info here

Vicki, is the rice plain white rice, but just sticky or does it have things like sausage, shrimp or mushrooms in it? I do have recipes for a variety of dishes made with sticky rice, but don't want to type out a bunch of recipes without an idea what it is you are looking for.

If it's just plain white rice, but sticky, it is just short grain rice rather than long grain which is what most non-Asian Americans are used to.

There are various brands of short grain rice available in stores. Shirakiku is a brand imported from Japan, but Kokuho Rose, Nishiki, Tamaki & Hinode are brands grown in California. There is a difference in flavor between the brands, so it wouldn't hurt for your son to ask at the Hawaiian restaurant what brand they use. Of the California varieties, I prefer Tamaki...so of course, it's the hardest to find and the most expensive. Hinode is my least favorite. If you happen to come across a bag that says "New Crop" on it is going to be better than one that does not, but it's hard to find as only a limited amount of the new crop is released for any given brand. Sometimes, short grain rice is marketed as "sushi rice" in smaller packages, but it really is just a way to sell it for more money, don't be fooled if you decide to try making sushi, it's just regular short grain rice.

Many people like to use rice cookers, and the price range is quite wide, from very inexpensive to very expensive. At this point, if I bought one I'd probably spend a little extra and get one with a warmer feature, to keep the rice warm after cooking.

However, many years ago an ex boyfriend's mother shamed me out of using a rice cooker, and taught me how to make it properly without one. It really isn't difficult.

Basically, you want equal parts of rice & water, with just a little extra water.

Basic Japanese Rice

2 c short grain rice
2 1/4 c water

Wash the rice until the water runs clear. I find the easiest method is to put the rice in a fine sieve that fits into a bowl or pot. Fill up the container with water & swish the rice around with your hand until the water gets cloudy, then drain and repeat, drain & repeat. Ma Yabusaki would have it that the last rinsing should run as clear as drinking water, but I'm not usually that patient.

Put the rice in a 2 quart saucepan that has a well fitting lid, add the water and cover. Bring the rice & water to a rapid boil, then reduce the heat quickly (so that the rice doesn't boil over)to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir up the rice to fluff it, and quickly re-cover and leave it for another 5 or 10 minutes (off the heat).

Leaving the rice to soak in it's cooking liquid for half an hour or longer before cooking helps to improve the texture but isn't necessary. Don't be tempted to buy cheap, store brand short grain rice if the store has it, because it is most likely older rice, which requires more water to cook and has far less flavor.

If you want to reheat your rice, the best way is to place it on a plate or shallow bowl, cover it with a wet paper towel and zap it in the microwave.

Thank you! I will try these recipes. The rice is plain...has nothing in it. They use (I think) an ice cream scoop and the rice is all stuck together, thus easier to eat with chop sticks.

Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. You people rock!

The info posted by dances_in_garden is accurate. Sticky rice is not long grain, medium grain or sushi rice. It is glutinous rice which is used in particular dishes which are referred to as sticky rice. And it is very dense and sticky.

The most likely place you will encounter sticky rice is in dim sum. And there, you will most likely find it as the filling in stuffed lotus leaf, mixed with various tidbits.

Jim

Here is a link that might be useful: Lotus Leaf Recipe

I've seen sticky rice sold in the supermarket along side the Jasmine rice, basmati rice, etc.

Jim is correct that there is a specific rice that is glutinous, and used to make certain dishes, some of which is served steamed in lotus or banana leaves. That is the reason I asked whether it was plain white rice that was sticky that your son liked or if it had other ingredients such as sausage, shrimp or mushrooms.

People who are not familiar with short grain rice often refer to it as "sticky rice" because it holds together in clumps in a way properly prepared long grain rice does not. Asian folks use the term "sticky rice" to refer to the glutinous variety.

Glutinous rice is not served plain, as far as I know. Japanese people do beat plain glutinous rice into a sticky mass, and then form it into little patties called "mochi", used to make a sticky confection (sweetened) or a snack item served in soup or broiled (unsweetened), but I have never heard of anyone serving it as a side dish in a restaurant, Hawaiian or otherwise. Hawaiian restaurants often serve short grain rice using an ice cream scoop...dunno why.