Sticky rice

Sticky or glutinous rice (also called sweet rice, although it isn’t) is not your usual rice. It has real body, chewiness, and more flavor than the rice we’re used to eating. When soaked and steamed—the best way to prepare it—it sticks together, making a tender mass that is easy to eat (it doesn’t fall off the fork and can readily be picked up with chopsticks). It also takes to a wide variety of simple but unusual preparations, as you’ll see here, from side dishes to dessert.

There are a couple of aspects of sticky rice that make it different: First of all you buy it in Asian markets. It must be soaked before cooking, and it can hardly be overcooked; we recommend steaming it for 8 minutes, but that is the minimum. If it’s more convenient to steam it and keep it hot for another few that’s fine: it will not change in texture or flavor.