How to make sticky rice with basmati

Sticky rice is a dish made with long grain Thai rice, which is cooked until glutenous and sticky and is often infused with aromatics. It works well with Thai red curries, green curries, stir-fry recipes and even as part of a sweet dish with coconut milk like our sticky rice & mango. Follow our simple method and then try it with our favourite recipes.

Check out our ultimate Thai recipe collection for more dishes full of spice and flavour.

What kind of rice is used for sticky rice?

The type of rice you need is jasmine rice. Named after the sweet-smelling jasmine flower, it's grown in Thailand and its key characteristics are a slightly sweet, fragrant flavour and sticky glutinous texture. Don’t attempt to use other long grain rice varieties.

• Soak the rice (450g is a good quantity to serve four) overnight in a bowl of covered cold water. This helps give the rice a softer texture.
• Drain the rice, shaking it in a colander to remove the excess water.

Steaming sticky rice

• Line a steamer basket with non-stick parchment (this stops the rice sticking to the metal).
• Fill a large pan with a 3cm depth of water. Sit the tight-fitting steamer on top, then bring to a simmer.
• Put the rice in the steamer and cook, covered, for 35-45 mins or until sticky and tender. Keep covered with damp parchment to stop it drying out.

Added aromatics

Kaffir lime leaves: Popping two-three fresh kaffir lime leaves into your rice when steaming gives it a delicious, fresh fragrant flavour, which works well with a Thai green curry.

Coconut: Fresh grated coconut adds a sweetness to the rice and works well with spicier dishes. For a sweet take on sticky rice, make a creamy coconut and sugar mixture and stir through the cooked rice. Try it in our sticky rice & mango recipe.

Lemongrass: Split a fresh lemongrass stalk in half and add before steaming.

Key points to remember

• Keep your rice covered with a damp piece of baking parchment once cooked. As soon as the rice hits room temperature, it will begin to harden. Plate up just before serving.
• Wet the serving spoon you’re using so the rice comes away easily from it.
• Once sticky rice goes cold, it's harder to digest. It’s best not to store leftovers and eat cold.

Our top sticky rice recipes

1. Easy beef and black bean sauce

Our easy beef in black bean sauce stir-fry is ideal for a midweek family meal everyone will love. Use tender rump steak, crunchy veg and plenty of warming ginger and chilli for a satisfying supper you can make in just 30 minutes. Serve with mounds of sticky rice and a sprinkling of fresh coriander.

2. Sticky coconut rice, mango & passion fruit

Try our sticky coconut rice, mango & passion fruit dish for a tasty Thai dessert. The combination of rich and creamy coconut with zingy fruit is the perfect refreshing end to a celebratory meal. You can make the mango sauce a day ahead to save time.

3. Easy teriyaki chicken

It takes just 20 minutes to whip up our easy teriyaki chicken, perfect for feeding the family in a hurry. The thick honey and soy sauce takes minutes to make and is vastly superior to shop-bought versions. Serve with steamed Asian veg like pak choi.

4. Thai red duck with sticky pineapple rice

Serve up a satisfying supper for two with our Thai red duck with sticky pineapple rice. Marinate the duck breasts in spicy red curry paste and citrussy lime to soak up even more of the flavours before cooking. This healthy dinner option is full of colour and texture to brighten up your midweek menu.

Mastered this technique? Try our other essential cooking tips

How to make gnocchi
How to make icing sugar
How to cook baby corn
How to cook topside of beef
Healthy Thai recipes

What's your favourite way to serve sticky rice? Leave a comment below...

We’ve teamed up with wagamama to show the nation how easy it can be to cook Japanese dishes at home, starting with this simple sticky rice recipe.

Perfect rice, brought to you by Gousto and wagamama

Rice is a Japanese staple. The Japanese word, “gohan”, has two meanings – “meal” and “cooked rice” – and prefixes are attached to it to create the words for breakfast (asagohan), lunch (hirugohan) and dinner (bangohan). In other words, in Japan, a meal without rice is not considered a meal.

Japanese cooking traditionally uses a short grain rice and cooks it in a way that gives it a glutinous, sticky texture. To prepare it perfectly, it is important that the ratio of rice to water is correct and, as a rule, this ratio is 2:3. We recommend a serving of 75g or 1 cup of rice per person. For best results use sushi rice (don’t worry, you’ll get the perfectly measured amount of sushi rice delivered in your Gousto box).

Soak the rice in water for 30 minutes. Place the rice in a fine mesh sieve and leave to strain for at least 5 minutes to allow excess water to drain.

To cook, place 2¼ cups water in a heavy-based saucepan, cover with a lid, and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat to the lowest setting, add the rice, and leave to simmer for 10 minutes. It is important to leave the rice undisturbed during the entire cooking and resting process.

Take the pan off the heat and set aside with the lid still on for a furter 10 minutes.”

Easy Sticky Rice Recipe

For sushi rice:

1. Rinse 150g sushi rice in a sieve under cold after for 30 seconds, then set aside to drain fully.
2. Add the drained rice with 200ml cold water and a generous pinch of salt to a pot with a lid and bring to the boil over a high heat. Don’t let the water fully boil as this will make the rice stick to the pot!
3. Just before boiling point, reduce the heat to low until very gently bubbling and cook, covered, for 15 minutes. Keep the lid on the whole time for perfectly fluffy rice!
4. After 15 minutes, remove the pot from the heat and keep covered for a further 10 minutes before serving.

For basmati rice:

1. Add 1 cup basmati rice to a bowl and cover with water. Soak for 20 minutes.
2. Drain, and rinse with cold water.
3. Then add 2 cups of water to one cup of dry rice to the pan, set over medium-high heat, bring to the boil, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 10-12 minutes.
4. Remove lid, and leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

For brown rice:

1. Add 1 cup brown rice to a bowl and cover with water. Soak for 20 minutes.
2. Drain, and rinse with cold water.
3. Then add 2 cups of water to one cup of dry rice to the pan, set over medium-high heat, bring to the boil, and reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes.
4. Remove from the heat, cover with a lid and leave to stand for 5 minutes before serving.

For more recipes like this, check out wagamama’s new cookbook Feed Your Soul (Kyle Books), available now.

Whip up wagamama at home! Get everything you need from miso to mirin, precisely measured, with easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions, all delivered to your door in a Gousto box. See for yourself how easy it can be to cook Japanese dishes at home, and discover four unique recipes from wagamama. Which ones are on this week’s menu?