How do you steam sticky rice?

Transfer rice to cheesecloth-lined steamer basket, and use your hands to pat rice into an even layer. Fold overhanging cheesecloth over the rice to form a parcel, then cover with a lid. Bring water in steamer to a boil over high heat, place steamer basket over it, and lower heat to a steady simmer.

What is the best way to cook sticky rice?

directions Wash rice several times (until the water is clear). Let soak for a few minutes in colander. Put rice in pan with tight fitting lid and add the water. Cover and bring to a boil. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes. Remove pan from heat and quickly stretch clean tea towel over the pot, cover with lid. More items...

What to add to rice for sticky rice?

Combine 4 tablespoons of rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a small saucepan. Mix everything together with a spoon. This will be the seasoning for your sushi rice. It may also help your rice become a little more sticky.

How long does sticky rice take to cook?

Place rice over a pot of rapidly simmering water (don't allow water to touch sieve) and steam, covered, for 15 minutes . Remove lid and flip rice over. Continue steaming, covered, for 10 minutes, until rice is translucent and glossy. Taste to make sure rice is completely cooked; it may take up to 10 minutes more.

What is the secret to sticky rice?

The Secrets to Perfect Sticky Rice Soak the sticky rice for in enough water to cover the rice . This softens the grain and the extra water helps add that fluffy texture. Soaking for 4-24 hours is a good range. After soaking, add a little salt before cooking for taste, about 1/2 to 3/4 of a teaspoon.

How much water do you put in a rice cooker for sticky rice?

Add ⅔ cup of water for every cup of uncooked sticky rice . Turn on the 'white rice' setting and allow to cook for 20-30 minutes (it will automatically switch over to 'keep warm' when it's done) Let the rice sit on 'keep warm' for a few minutes, then lift the lid, fluff, and serve!

What is the ratio of sticky rice to water in a rice cooker?

Add ⅔ cup of water for every cup of uncooked sticky rice . Turn on the 'white rice' setting and allow to cook for 20-30 minutes (it will automatically switch over to 'keep warm' when it's done) Let the rice sit on 'keep warm' for a few minutes, then lift the lid, fluff, and serve!

Do you need special rice for sticky rice?

Sticky rice is actually its own variety , just as long-grain or brown rice fall in wholly different rice categories. It's an ultra-short grain, even shorter than sushi rice, and solidly opaque in raw form, developing a gummy translucence only after cooking.

Does sticky rice need more or less water?

Cooking sweet rice or glutinous rice is somewhat different than cooking regular rice. You need less water to cook it, which makes steaming a better option than a pot of simmering water. Some more high end Chinese and Japanese rice cookers have special settings for it, but most don't have that feature.

Do you need to wash rice to make sticky rice?

For the best texture, all types of sticky rice should be rinsed, then soaked before cooking : Rinsing helps remove dirt and dust from processing and shipping, while soaking brings some starches to the surface that give sticky rice it's desired texture.

Sticky Rice Stuffing (A Chinese-Inspired Thanksgiving Recipe) (2024)

This rich, savory, and buttery sticky rice stuffing is made with sweet Chinese sausage, smoky mushrooms, and crunchy water chestnuts. Cooked with butter, fresh aromatics, and finished up with a drizzle of soy sauce, this hearty stuffing will go well with your regular Thanksgiving dishes while spicing up your dinner party with an exotic touch.

We’re all guilty of staying in our comfort zones when it comes to Thanksgiving dinner. I get it – no one wants to mess up the most important meal of the year! But if you’d like to try something different this year, Asian-inspired sides might be a good starting point if you’re not ready to make the centerpiece Asian-style turkey yet!

Today I want to introduce you to the Chinese-inspired sticky rice stuffing.

This recipe uses sticky rice, crunchy water chestnuts, tender Chinese sausage, umami shiitake mushrooms, and soy sauce. The end product has a great texture and a comforting and rich taste. The recipe does require you to soak the rice in advance. But once that’s done, I guarantee you’ll be surprised how easy this recipe for sticky rice stuffing is.

Cooking notes

1. What is Chinese sausage

Chinese sausage is made from fatty pork. It is normally smoked, sweetened, and seasoned with rose water, rice wine, and soy sauce. Depending on the brand, the sausage itself can be quite tough and very sweet. But once cooked with the rice, it becomes buttery tender. The fat and sweetness melt into the gooey rice and all the diverse flavors in the pot come together.

These days you can easily find Chinese sausages in an Asian market. I even saw Costco carry them a couple of times. If you can’t find them in your local stores, you can also purchase them from Amazon.

2. Sticky rice stuffing workflow

You do need to prepare a few things before cooking.

Prep

(1) Soak the sticky rice the day before cooking. This step is very important, otherwise the rice will take forever to cook through.

(2) The day of cooking, soak the dried shiitake mushrooms before preparing the other ingredients.

(3) Slice all the ingredients into even-sized pieces, to ensure a pleasant texture.

Cook

(1) Saute the aromatics in butter. You can use vegetable oil too, but I found that butter gives the dish a richer aroma.

(2) Cook the shiitake mushrooms and sausage.

(3) Lightly saute the sticky rice so it is coated evenly with butter.

3. Burning bottom issue and how to clean up

In traditional Chinese cooking, chefs always use a steamer instead of a pot to cook sticky rice. Due to its starchy texture, the rice can very easily stick to the bottom of your pan and burn. The added soy sauce makes it even more susceptible.

There are some sticky rice stuffing recipes that steam the rice first then bake it again after assembling. I found that process too complicated and decided to use an easier approach. The problem is, the bottom layer of the rice will be quite charred and stick to your pot.

The good news is, you can easily clean off the toasted rice by boiling some water once you’re done cooking. You need to add about 2 inches of water to the pot and let it boil for 5 minutes or longer. Then use a wooden spatula to gently lift the rice from the bottom of the pot. Then rinse it with tap water.

Afterthoughts

Trying a new Thanksgiving recipe can be intimidating. In reality, it’s pretty easy to follow a recipe and transform your homemade feast into something memorable. Which is why I’m going to show you this foolproof way of creating an Asian-style Thanksgiving dinner. You can also make the sticky rice stuffing a few days ahead so you’ll only need to heat it up before serving.

Spice up your Thanksgiving this year with this sticky rice stuffing recipe. Your family will beg you to make it every year after!

More Asian inspired Thanksgiving recipes

Curried Vegan Green Bean Casserole
Chinese Brined Turkey (Extra Juicy and Crispy on All Sides)
Thanksgiving Leftover Curry Puffs
Kabocha Pumpkin Pie (a Lighter and Fluffier Pie)

If you give this recipe a try, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it (once you’ve tried it), and take a picture and tag it @omnivorescookbook on Instagram! I’d love to see what you come up with.

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