How to Make Glutinous Rice
Glutinous rice (also called sticky rice or sweet rice) needs a long soak and gentle steam heat, not a simmer in a pot of water, to turn tender and cohesive without turning to paste. Boiling it like regular rice waterlogs the grains and leaves a gummy, wet mess.
Steps
- 1Measure out the amount of glutinous rice needed and rinse it in a bowl under cold water, swirling with your hand until the water runs mostly clear (usually 3-4 rinses).
- 2Cover the rinsed rice with water by at least 2 inches and soak at room temperature for at least 4 hours, or overnight (8-12 hours) for the most even texture.
- 3Drain the rice completely in a fine-mesh strainer and let it sit for 5-10 minutes so excess water drips off.
- 4Line a bamboo steamer basket or a metal steamer insert with a layer of cheesecloth or a banana leaf, then spread the drained rice out in an even layer no more than 2 inches thick.
- 5Bring water to a boil in the pot beneath the steamer, then set the basket over it, cover, and steam for 20-25 minutes.
- 6Flip the rice or stir it gently with a spatula halfway through steaming so the bottom layer, which cooks faster near the steam, cooks as evenly as the top.
- 7Check for doneness by pressing a few grains between your fingers, they should be fully translucent, soft, and sticky with no chalky white center. Steam another 5 minutes if needed.
Common mistakes
- Skipping or shortening the soak: unsoaked glutinous rice cooks unevenly, staying hard in the center while the outside turns mushy.
- Boiling instead of steaming: submerging the rice in water breaks down the starch too fast and turns it into a gluey clump instead of separate sticky grains.
- Piling the rice too thick in the steamer: a deep mound steams unevenly, with the bottom turning soggy before the top finishes.
- Using the soaking water to steam: fresh water in the pot below keeps the steam clean; the starchy soaking water should be discarded.
Equipment
- Bamboo steamer basket or metal steamer insert
- Cheesecloth or banana leaf liner
- Fine-mesh strainer
- Large bowl for soaking
FAQ
Can I cook glutinous rice in a rice cooker instead of steaming?
Yes, using the same soaking rinse-and-soak steps, then cooking with a rice-to-water ratio of about 1:1 (less than for regular rice) on the white rice or sticky rice setting.
What's the difference between glutinous rice and regular sticky short-grain rice?
Glutinous rice contains almost no amylose starch, which is what makes it turn nearly translucent and extremely sticky when cooked, unlike short-grain rice, which stays more opaque and separate.
Why is my glutinous rice still hard after steaming?
It usually means the soak was too short. Cold, under-soaked grains don't absorb enough moisture to fully gelatinize during the shorter steaming time.
Can I skip the cheesecloth and put rice directly in the steamer basket?
Grains will fall through the holes of a bamboo basket, so a liner like cheesecloth, a thin cotton cloth, or banana leaf is necessary to keep the rice contained while still letting steam through.
Need exact temperatures or timing? Check our Time & Temperature Guide →