Sticky Rice Recipe

Rinse the glutinous rice under cold running water until the water runs mostly clear to remove excess starch.

Place the rinsed rice in a large bowl and cover with 4 cups of water. Soak at room temperature for at least 4 hours, ideally 6–8 hours or overnight for best texture. If short on time, soak at least 2 hours.

After soaking, drain the rice in a fine-mesh sieve and let it sit for 10–15 minutes to remove excess surface water.

Prepare a steamer: line the steamer basket with a clean, damp cheesecloth or parchment with holes, or use a bamboo steamer lined with banana leaf. Bring water in the steamer pot to a gentle boil.

Spread the drained rice in an even layer (about 1–1.5 inches deep) in the lined steamer basket.

Steam the rice, covered, over gently boiling water for 20 minutes. After 20 minutes, stir and turn the rice with a wooden spoon or spatula to redistribute and steam another 10–15 minutes until grains are translucent and tender but still slightly chewy.

Remove the steamer from the heat and let the rice rest, covered, 5–10 minutes before transferring to a bowl or tray.

If you prefer not to steam, combine 2 cups soaked and drained glutinous rice with 1 cup water and 1 tsp salt in a heavy-bottom saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat with the lid slightly ajar for the first minute, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly, and cook 12–15 minutes without lifting the lid.

After 12–15 minutes, remove from heat and let sit, covered, for 10 minutes. Fluff gently with a fork. Note: stovetop method can produce a slightly denser texture than steaming.

In a small saucepan, combine 1 cup coconut milk, 3 tbs granulated sugar, and 1/8–1/4 tsp salt. Add the pandan leaf if using. Warm over medium-low heat, stirring, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is hot but not boiling (about 3–5 minutes). Remove pandan leaf.

Reserve about 1/4 cup of the warm coconut sauce for serving. Pour the remaining warm coconut milk over the hot steamed sticky rice and gently fold to combine. Cover and let the rice absorb the coconut milk for 10–15 minutes.

Taste and adjust: add reserved coconut sauce when serving for extra creaminess.

If serving savory, omit the coconut-sugar finishing and simply serve warm sticky rice alongside grilled meats or salads.

For sweet sticky rice (mango sticky rice style), spoon rice onto a serving plate, top with sliced fresh mango, drizzle reserved coconut sauce, and sprinkle toasted sesame seeds or toasted mung beans.

Sticky rice is best served warm the same day. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 2 days; re-steam or microwave with a splash of water to reheat gently.