Do you like sticky rice (glutinous rice)? I’m a big fan of sticky rice because it is a cozy and crowd-pleasing dish. Today, I’m sharing how you can cook your sticky rice in 2 easy ways.
Sticky rice is made from sweet rice or glutinous rice. I normally use the ones from Thailand or Japan to make dishes like this. Most rice brands require a pre-soak so I normally soak mine overnight, right before I go to bed. You can read more about sticky rice here.
Then, the next step for a bowl of delicious sticky rice is to steam and partially cook them. I like to place a damp cloth on an inner steamer rack and spread my rice on top. Then, steam it for about 20-25 minutes. Then, mix the cooked rice in sauces and cook it down further. This 2-steps yields
How to cook Sticky Rice
As mentioned above, many brands require you to soak the rice before use. I soaked mine overnight. Then, the next day, I’ll steam it on a steamer over high heat for about 20 minutes before mixing it with the sauce. Check out my Chestnut Mushrooms Sticky Rice for another method of cooking.
While the rice is cooking, make the savory sauce. This sauce is the seasoning for the rice so season it to your liking before mixing in the rice.
For the sauce ingredients, I added mushrooms and sautèed shallots to create a sweet and savory element.
Then, I added roasted chestnuts and softened peanuts to the mix. I simply used raw peanuts that I boiled in hot water until soft and then drained.
For the seasoning, it’s a mixture of vegan ‘oyster’ sauce, soy sauce, white pepper, Chinese 5-spice powder, and ShaoXing wine. If you can’t have wine, swap it with vegetable broth. For the broth, simple water with umami seasoning will do or you can use homemade veggie stock.
Soy Sauce ShaoXing wine Mushroom water
1st method: Sticky Rice in Kabocha Squash
If you like to stuff your squashes with filling, then you’ll love this method. The sticky rice is stuff inside the squash and then baked until the squash is fork-tender. The sweet and nutty flavor from the pumpkin, infused in the sticky rice, brings the already super delicious comfort food to the next level. Now it is not only pleasing your tummy but also pleasing to look at.
To finish up the cooking this way, clean a Kabocha squash and remove part of the top off. Then, scoop out the seeds, which you can turn into a pumpkin seed snack.
Stuff the squash with seasoned rice and place it upside down on a baking sheet pan. Bake at 400F (200°C) until the squash is fork-tender.
Make a few cuts on the squash (try not to cut all the way to the rice), about 8 wedges. Then, remove each wedge and mix with the rice before serving.
2nd method: Sticky Rice in Bamboo Steamer
This is one of the most common methods to cook sticky rice. I wrapped my rice in lotus leaf then steamed it using a bamboo steamer for the extra layer of flavor. To finish up the cooking in this way, lay a damp cloth in the bamboo steamer or use a cleaned lotus leaf.
Then, spread the cooked rice on the top and cover the bamboo steamer, then steam for another 15 minutes. Serve warm.
This Sticky Rice is
- Easy to make
- Delicious
- Gluten-free adaptable – use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari
- Kids friendly
- Savory and Vegan
- Perfect Comfort food
I hope you give this recipe a try and let me know which one is your favorite method. I would love to hear your feedback and see your beautiful re-creation. Leave me a comment, rate it, and tag @woon.heng and #woonheng to your photos on Instagram or Facebook. Happy cooking, friends.
How to cook Sticky Rice (Glutinous Rice) in 2 Easy Ways
Equipment
- Steamer
Ingredients
- 1 Kabocha squash ~1kg or 2.2lbs
- 1½ cups glutinous rice soaked for at least 4 hours, drained
- 4 dried Shiitake mushrooms softened and reserve the water
- ¼ cup roasted chestnuts
- ¼ cup raw peanuts (boil to soften)
- 2 shallots sliced
- oil for cooking
Seasoning and Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons vegan 'oyster' sauce
- 1½ tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon white pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
- 2 tablespoons Shaoxing wine or vegetable broth
- 1 cup of liquid* water + mushrooms water
- a drizzle of toasted sesame oil
Instructions
How to cook Sticky Rice
- Soak glutinous rice overnight or as directed on package.
- To cook the sticky rice, lay a damp cloth on the inner steamer rack.
- Spread the presoaked rice on top and steam over high heat for 20 minutes.
Seasoning and Sauce
- Meanwhile, heat a non-stick pan with 1 tablespoon of oil and sautè mushrooms until fragrant.
- Then sauté shallots until they turn translucent.
- Add in the peanuts, chestnuts and season with the sauce ingredients.
- Bring the mixture to boil, then lower heat to medium and cook for ~1-2 minutes.
- Add in the steamed rice and toss by mixing the rice with spatula until all the sauce has been absorbed.
Method 1: How to cook rice in Kabocha Squash
- To prepare the Kabocha squash, cut part of the top off and scoop out the seeds.
- Preheat the oven to 400F and prepare a baking sheet.
- Spoon the cooked rice into the squash. Then, place the squash upside down on a baking sheet.
- Bake for about 30 minutes or until the squash is fork-tender.
- To serve, cut open the squash into wedges and serve warm.
Method 2: How to cook rice in Bamboo Steamer
- Lay a damp cloth in the inner bamboo rack.
- Transfer cooked rice to the bamboo steamer and steam over high heat for another 15 minutes.
- Serve warm with chili sauce.
Video
Notes
- Total liquid for the sauce is 1 cup. I used the water that I soaked the mushrooms with plus some fresh filtered water to make it to 1 cup.
- Reserve the Kabocha seeds to make pumpkin seeds for snacks.
- Try my homemade Vegan ‘Oyster’ Sauce if you can’t find the store-bought version.
Feel free to pin the below picture on your Pinterest Board for easy reference.
Absolutely delicious! I loved the mix of flavors, and would definitely make this rice again. The squash took a lot longer than expected to bake, though, so I’d advise making sure you can let the squash bake for another 15 mins if it needs to.
Hello,
It’s not quite clear whether you have to cook the rice before stuffing it in Kabocha or it will cooked/baked in the oven. So is it enough to soak it only, mix with the seasoning and stuff it?
Hi Momo, thanks for your feedback. Please check Step 3 on How to cook sticky rice and step 5 on seasoning and sauce in order before moving to the methods. The methods are shared as ways to serve or continue to cook after those two steps. Please let me know if you need additional help. Thanks, WoonHeng
This looks delicious! One question, what’s the chili sauce in the picture / do you have a recommended recipe or brand?
Hi Nat, this is the chile oil with a little soy sauce. I used Lao Gan Ma. Thanks, WoonHeng
This was great! I found my squash took about an hour to cook. I adjusted the filling based on what I had in the house and included:
– 5 shiitake mushrooms
– 2 carrots
– 1/2 onion
– 1 stalk celery
– handful of raw peanuts (not boiled – I like the crunch)
– 1 cup of sticky rice
Thanks so much for sharing! What a great autumnal recipe and gorgeous centerpiece.
Woohoo, Irene. Thanks so so much for your feedback and love that you shared your subs here. So happy you loved it and yes it’s really a wonderful autumnal recipe.
Such a great addition to our Christmas meal this year. We all loved it alongside our Roast Duck with a balsamic honey glaze. The next day…we took the leftovers from both and stuffed them in mandu wrappers and cooked them up. Yum!
Yay, Many thanks for adding this recipe to your holiday meal. Your rating and feedback means a lot to me. Thank you and wishing you and family a wonderful one. Best, WoonHeng
I love sticky rice and this method of cooking is so genius when you infuse the rice with the sweet flavors from the pumpkin! Love it.