Thai Sticky Rice, Steamed Without a Bamboo Basket

By Sprig Originals ✓ · cooked up in Sprig

The chewy, faintly sweet glutinous rice that comes alongside grilled meats and som tum at every Thai restaurant. The only real trick is planning ahead: the grains need a long cold soak, then a straight steam — no boiling, no measured water. Instead of the traditional woven bamboo basket, you line a metal colander with damp cheesecloth and set it over a pot of simmering water, which gets you the same glossy, pinchable grains you can roll into little balls with your fingers.

Ingredients

• 2 cups Thai glutinous rice (sweet rice / sticky rice)
• cool water, for soaking and steaming
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt (optional)

• 1 large piece cheesecloth or thin cotton kitchen towel (about 18 inches square)
• 1 metal colander or steamer insert that sits inside a pot
• 1 pot lid or heavy-duty foil

Instructions

1. Put the glutinous rice in a large bowl and rinse with cool water, swishing with your hand and pouring off the cloudy water, 3 to 4 times, until the water runs nearly clear. This removes loose surface starch so the finished grains are chewy rather than gluey.
2. Cover the rinsed rice with cool water by at least 2 inches (the grains swell a lot) and stir in the salt if using. Soak at room temperature for 6 to 10 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator. Properly soaked grains are opaque white and crush easily between your fingernails with no hard core. Do not skip or shorten this to under 4 hours — unsoaked sticky rice steams up hard in the center.
3. Drain the rice in the colander you plan to steam in and let it sit 10 minutes so excess water runs off. Meanwhile, pour 2 inches of water into a pot wide enough to hold the colander with its rim resting on the pot's edge; the water must sit at least 1 inch below the bottom of the colander. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat.
4. Rinse the cheesecloth under water and wring it out, then fold it into a double layer and line the colander with it, letting the corners drape over the sides. Turn the drained rice onto the cloth and spread it into an even mound about 1 1/2 inches deep, then poke a hole through the center with your finger so steam can rise through the middle.
5. Fold the overhanging cheesecloth loosely over the top of the rice, set the colander over the boiling water, and cover with a lid or a tent of foil crimped around the rim. Reduce the heat to medium so the water simmers steadily and steam puffs out around the edges.
6. Steam for 12 minutes, then uncover, grab the cloth corners and flip the whole rice cake over in one motion (or stir and re-spread it). Cover and steam another 8 to 12 minutes, until the grains are uniformly translucent, glossy and tender-chewy all the way through with no chalky white centers. Total steaming time is 20 to 25 minutes; add water to the pot if it threatens to boil dry.
7. Immediately turn the hot rice into a bowl and fluff it apart with a wooden spoon or spatula for about 20 seconds to release trapped steam — this keeps the bottom layer from going wet and dense.
8. Cover the bowl with a damp kitchen towel or transfer the rice to a lidded insulated container and let it rest 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm, pinching off walnut-size pieces with your fingers and rolling them into balls to dip into grilled meat juices, larb, or papaya salad dressing.

Chef's tips

Nutrition (per serving, estimated)

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