The Best Sticky Brown Rice Recipe! (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to sticky rice? ›

The key to sticky rice is to not rinse the rice — this washes away the starch dust that allows the rice to clump. 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.

It is usually served as a “base” for dishes, but brown sticky rice can also be used as a side dish. It has a nutty flavor and chewy texture that adds depth and texture to any meal. Its nutritional benefits (see below) make it an excellent choice if you're looking to include more healthy ingredients on your plate.

Build flavors early on!

We love sauteeing some onions or leeks in butter with some thyme before adding rice to the pot, but you should use what you have around! Ginger and garlic both make for exceptional brown rice. If you're going the spice route we love turmeric, cumin, oregano, and smoked paprika with brown 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.

Put rice in a bowl and rinse several times in cold water until water is clear, not milky, then drain. Cover rice with cold water and let soak for at least 2 hours or up to 24 hours. Drain rice using a fine-meshed sieve or colander (line with cheesecloth if colander holes are too large).

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.

Most sources of nutrition information will point towards brown rice as being more nutritious. It has more fiber, vitamins, and minerals such as iron, magnesium, and copper. This comes from the fact that brown rice is rice before the bran and germ (outer shell of the grain) is removed.

Brown rice has 4 times more magnesium than white rice. This mineral is crucial for heart, bone, muscle and brain health. Unfortunately, over 50% of Americans are magnesium deficient. Brown rice is also a good source of thiamine, zinc and iron.

Sticky rice is also called sweet rice, because of its distinct taste that is subtly sweeter than other types of rice. However, even if it has a hint of sweetness, the sweet taste will not overpower the flavor of the food that will be served alongside it.

Add extra seasoning: cooking brown rice with salt is essential for flavorful grains, but you can also infuse more flavor by adding olive oil and butter, swapping in garlic salt, or adding spices such as cayenne, ground ginger or cumin.

Why should you rinse brown rice before cooking? ›

This step is essential for removing excess starches on the outside of the rice. If they're not washed away, they will cause the rice to clump and become gummy as it cooks. Our goal is to make perfectly fluffy brown rice, so don't skip this step!

Soaking is optional, but we recommend it! Soaking grains helps to remove some of the naturally-occurring phytic acid in the grain, which helps improve digestibility and speed cook time. To soak: Add rice to a large mixing bowl or pot and cover with twice the amount of lukewarm water (1 cup rice + 2-3 cups water).

Another easy way to fix sticky and soggy rice is by spreading them over a parchment paper and heating/baking them for 10-15 minutes at 200 degree celsius, this will extract the excess moisture from the rice and give a perfect texture to the rice.

The best way to make it, is to soak raw sticky rice in water overnight, allow it to sit, then steam it for about 15 minutes. You'll have beautiful fluffy and delicious sticky rice.

To make sticky rice using regular rice, let the rice soak in water for at least 30 minutes before you cook it, which will help make it stickier in the end. Then, add 2 parts water and 1 part rice to a large pot. Bring the water to a boil and then reduce the heat.

Rinse your rice, that'll remove excess starch. Place it all in the pan with your water, bring it to a boil then IMMEDIATELY drop the temp to a low temp/ simmer and cover it for about 20min. Do not stir, don't open the lid. Turn off the heat, let it sit a few minutes, then you can fluff it with a fork.

While you can make rice sticky by overcooking it with too much water, that's not actually how to make sticky rice. It's not even how to make sticky rice for sushi, which is an entirely different type of rice. Keep reading to learn the basics and beyond.