Choosing and Soaking the Rice
Selecting high-quality sticky rice is key to making delicious sticky rice. Look for opaque grains with a consistent, round shape. Test by chewing a few grains; the rice should taste naturally sweet and fragrant with a hint of fresh rice aroma.
As sticky rice is cooked with steam, it’s essential to soak the rice beforehand to achieve the desired sticky and fragrant texture. Depending on the type of rice, soak it for 6-8 hours. Avoid over-soaking, which can cause the rice to sour and fall apart during cooking.
You can add a pinch of salt to the soaking water for extra flavor. If you want to add color to your sticky rice, soak the grains in colored water like nếp leaf water, cẩm leaf water, gardenia water, or butterfly pea flower water. For red sticky rice (xôi gấc), soak the rice first, then mix it with gac before steaming.
Soak the rice for 6-8 hours before steaming.
Moderate Cooking Temperature
Temperature control is crucial when cooking sticky rice. Bring the water to a boil before placing the rice steamer over it. Maintain a moderate heat level to allow the rice to cook slowly and evenly. High heat can cause the water to evaporate too quickly, leading to burnt rice, while low heat can make it mushy.
When adding the rice to the pot, scoop it in handfuls instead of pouring it all at once. This ensures that the grains don’t press against each other, allowing hot steam to circulate and cook the rice evenly. You can also use chopsticks to poke a few holes in the rice to distribute the steam evenly.
Measuring the Right Amount of Water
For perfect sticky rice, use only 1/3 of the pot’s volume for water. This ensures that there’s enough steam to cook the rice without causing the water to overflow into the rice steamer and make it soggy.
Steaming Time
Depending on the type of rice, the steaming time can vary between 30-40 minutes. Every 10 minutes, lift the lid to wipe away any condensed water, preventing it from dripping onto the rice and making it mushy. Also, stir the rice occasionally to ensure even cooking and moisture distribution. The rice is ready when the grains are soft and sticky.
For extra fragrance, add a few fresh nếp leaves (dứa leaves) to the steamer while cooking the rice.
Steam the rice with nếp leaves for added fragrance.
Double Steaming for Perfection
When the rice is almost cooked, turn off the heat and spread the sticky rice onto a large plate or tray. Let it cool under a fan.
Before serving, steam the rice a second time to achieve that coveted soft and sticky texture.
Double steaming results in stickier and more delicious rice.
Adding a Glossy Shine
Just before turning off the heat, drizzle some chicken fat or vegetable oil over the rice and mix well. This final touch gives the sticky rice a glossy shine and an even more irresistible aroma.
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