Rice.

[zabado]

Does anyone have any rules or tips for making "sticky" rice.
When I cook rice it's always separate grains and never clumped together. I've tried it in my rice cooker, my slow cooker and even tried it in the microwave oven but no success.

[Jackdaw33]

Who wants 'sticky' rice?

[ummmm]

I love sticky rice.

What rice are you using?

[allenlondon]

Don't wash it first (it's the starch that makes it sticky).

And buy Chinese rice, not Basmati.

[alavahalf]

If you add extra water and boiled for longer than advised, I am sure it will be clumped together.

[-SharonA-]

I use basmati rice and cook on a very low setting, adding water bit by bit, bluffing up as I go along. It is best to use little water cause if you swamp it, it's hard to remove and you've got wet rice.
So low gas, little water, add if it is catching at the bottom. Keep lid on. Fluff up and taste for tenderness. It's done.

[ummmm]

Or Jasmine rice. I always wash it though.

[Jackdaw33]

My mother was a wonderful cook, apart from one thing, rice. She would boil it for ages until it came out like glue.

[TonyV]

All depends on the rice you are using as others have already said, Defoe don't wash when cooked.

[Vagus]

Depending on how much you need, have a look at Veetee ready cooked sticky rice. Guaranteed sticky.
I gave up cooking my own rice a couple of years ago in favour of Veetee (2 minutes in the microwave)but there’s only two of us and we don’t have rice very often.

[zabado]

I've been using long grain white rice.
I do put a little more water in and cook it longer. But I have to admit I always wash the rice first, so it looks like that's where my problem is. Thanks guys,

[237SJ]

Japanese sticky rice is short grain rice. Have you tried sushi rice?

[pastafreak]

That^^^...or Jasmine.

[Atheist]

Sharon, re basmati. The usual method is to rinse well and drain well, fry gently in little oil and then add twice the volume of water (i.e.1 cup rice and two cups water) then bring to the boil and cover tightly and cook on lowest possible heat for about ten mins. Of course this is for dryish separate grain rice, not for sticky.

[pastafreak]

^^^^ I learned...via Madhur Jaffrey...to leave it to soak for 30 minutes. And the amount of water, if I recall correctly, is 1.5 to 1.

[Atheist]

pasta, if you leave basmati to soak for a while, you'll probably need less cooking water. But, I always like to minimise waiting time and fiddling about time. Also, the thread was about sticky rice, and I'm not an expert on that - I think it's about the sort of rice you use. I'll try your basmati tip - thank you.

[-SharonA-]

// But I have to admit I always wash the rice first//
So do I, it makes no difference. Rice should be washed first and any black, discoloured grains removed.
Atheist, I've never heard of that method before. Have you tried it, frying the rice first??

[eve1974]

hope the tips below help get your rice suitably sticky. Did you know that the Great Wall of china has a mortar made using rice (and other stuff I guess) keeping the bricks together?

[Atheist]

Sharon, it's what I always do. 'Frying' is a strong word for what I do; I just gently heat the rice with a bit of oil until the rice becomes a bit translucent; I'm sure it doesn't matter too much of you don't do this - half rice to water is the trick I think.

[pastafreak]

Except for basmati, I've never washed rice. It was a new thing to me when I moved here. I never did pick up the habit.
With the basmati, you could add some spices...cumin seeds, coriander, chilli...to the oil.

[237SJ]

Sticky rice is Japanese grown rice. You won't get the same result from basmati, jasmine, American long grain. Even the rice in Hong Kong/China is different to sticky rice.