Most people love to eat sticky rice regularly. Because it is easy to cook and can easily be stored for a long duration. Since rice is consumed as a staple food in Asian countries. But now many people prefer to eat rice. It fulfills the nutritional requirement and provides energy as well.
If you are a food lover, then today’s blog can be worthwhile for you. Here, we will discuss sticky rice, and how it can be prepared with important tips and benefits of eating sticky rice.
A Brief Note About Sticky Rice
Rice grain is of two types, such as short-grained which is sticky, whereas, long-grained is non-sticky. Sticky rice is also called sweet and glutinous (it does not contain gluten) rice. The stickiness in rice is because it contains a high amount of starch. Due to this, rice becomes sticky like a gel when it gets cooked.
Glutinous rice is popular in Southeast Asian countries, for instance, China, Japan, Mongolia, India, North Korea, South Korea, Nepal, Macau, Laos, Taiwan, etc. It is the most popular staple food in Laos.
Is There Any Difference Between Sticky Rice & White Rice?
Short-grain contains amylopectin which is insoluble and due to this starch, the rice becomes gelatinous when it is cooked. Whereas, other regular rice has amylose starch which makes it non-sticky, and rice gets separated when cooked.
How to Prepare Sticky Rice in a Cooker
You can prepare sticky rice at your home, by following these easy steps, which will help you to prepare this dish. These are as follows:-
1. Ingredients
Firstly, gather all the ingredients that will be used in cooking rice. There is a list of ingredients that will be used while making short-grained sticky rice in a rice cooker. It will serve for 4 people and the list is given below:-
- 2 cups of short-grained rice
- 2 cups of water
- 1 teaspoon of salt or as per taste (it may be optional)
- A rice cooker
2. Steps for Making Short-Grained Sticky Rice in Rice Cooker:-
These are the following steps to prepare glutinous rice in a rice cooker:-
- First Step:- Collect all items required to prepare sticky rice.
- Second Step:- Put the rice in the bowl and wash thoroughly under running tap water to remove extra starch and other residuals.
- Third Step:- Leave the rice to be soaked in water for about 30 minutes, because the outer shell of this rice takes more time to soften.
- Fourth Step:- Now drain the water by placing the bowl over the sieve and again wash the rice one more time.
- Fifth Step:- Now take out your long-waiting rice cooker clean it properly and check whether it is working properly or not. If not, then choose another, or else you can borrow from your friends, neighbors, etc.
- Sixth Step:- Pour water into a rice cooker and add soaked rice. The quantity of rice and water should be the same, for example, 2 cups of water and 2 cups of sticky rice.
- Seventh Step:- Adding salt is totally up to you because it is optional. If you want to add, then take 1 teaspoon of salt, it will increase the taste of rice.
- Eighth Step:- Close the lid tightly and turn on the rice cooker (if using an electric rice cooker). It will regulate its temperature automatically.
- Ninth Step:- There is a feature of the rice cooker that indicates when the rice will get cooked or steamed well.
- Tenth Step:- After getting an indication, turn off the cooker and let the rice remain for at least five minutes. This will help to distribute steam evenly.
- Final Step:- It’s time to get the fruitful results of your work. Now open the lid of the cooker and your sticky rice is ready to be served on the plate to your loved one.
Benefits of Eating Sticky Rice
Sticky rice has many healthy benefits, such as it helps in improving the function of the heart, reducing inflammation, maintaining sugar levels,s, etc.
Important Tips to be Remembered
The ratio between rice and water should be of 1:1 proportion.
Rice should be pre-soaked to get good results.
Do not open the rice cooker immediately because it can ruin the texture of the rice.
Leftover rice can be stored in the refrigerator.
Conclusion
Rice is eaten around the world. Sticky rice is the main food for people in Asian countries. However, many people want to learn how to cook this glutinous or sweet rice. I hope after reading this blog, you can cook and serve sticky rice with meat, curry, snacks, soup, sauce, etc.
You can enjoy this sticky rice meal with your family, friends, and loved ones.
