Glutinous rice

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Glutinous rice (Oryza sativa var. glutinosa or Oryza glutinosa; also called sticky rice, sweet rice, waxy rice, botan rice, mochi rice, and pearl rice) is a type of short-grained Asian rice that is especially sticky when cooked. It is called glutinous (< Latin glūtinōsus) in the sense of being glue-like or sticky and not in the sense of containing gluten; on the other hand, it is called sticky but should not be confused with the other varieties of Asian rice that become sticky to one degree or another when cooked.

Glutinous rice is a type of rice grown and consumed by Lao of Laos and Northeast Thailand, and by the Chinese. An estimated 85% of Lao rice production is of this type.[1] Records of this rice go back at least to 1,100 years ago in this region. The improved rice varieties that swept through Asia during the Green Revolution were non-glutinous types and Lao farmers rejected them in favour of their traditional sticky varieties. Gradually though, improved higher-yield strains of sticky rice became available from the Laotian National Rice Research Programme. By 1999, more than 70% of the area along the Mekong River Valley was of the newer strains. In China, according to legend, it has been known for at least 2,000 years,[2] and was used as mortar for bricks in the Great Wall of China, as confirmed by chemical tests.[3]

Glutinous rice does not contain dietary gluten (i.e. does not contain glutenin and gliadin), and thus should be safe for gluten-free diets. What distinguishes it from other types of rice is having no (or negligible amounts of) amylose, and high amounts of amylopectin, the two components of starch. Amylopectin is responsible for the sticky quality of glutinous rice. The difference has been traced to a single mutation that was selected for by farmers.[4][2]

Glutinous rice can be used either milled or unmilled (that is, with the bran removed or not removed). The former is white and the latter is black or purple.[citation needed] Either can be cooked as grains or ground into flour and cooked as a paste.

A packet of sticky rice in a traditional Isan banana-leaf wrapper
A packet of sticky rice in a traditional Isan banana-leaf wrapper

Contents

[edit] Foods made from glutinous rice

[edit] Chinese traditions

In Chinese, sticky rice is known as nuòmǐ (糯米).

The Chinese dish, "naw mai faan" (the Cantonese pronunciation of 糯米飯 Hanyu pinyin: nuòmǐ fàn), is steamed sticky rice usually cooked with Chinese sausage, chopped Chinese mushrooms, chopped BBQ pork and (optional) dried shrimp or scallop (recipe varies depending on the cook's preference).

Zongzi (pronounced "joong" or "choong" in Cantonese) is a Chinese dumpling consisting of sticky rice and sweet or savoury fillings wrapped in leaves which is then boiled or steamed, commonly eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival. lo mai gai is a parcel of sticky rice and chicken wrapped in lotus leaves and steamed. It is served as a dim sum dish in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia. Ba bao fan (八宝饭) or "eight treasures rice" is a dessert made from sticky rice steamed and mixed with lard, sugar, and eight kinds of fruits or nuts.

Sticky rice is also often ground to make glutinous rice flour. This flour is then made into niangao and sweet filled dumplings tangyuan, both of which are commonly eaten at Chinese new year. It also sometimes used as a thickener and for baking.

[edit] Japanese traditions

In Japan, glutinous rice is known as mochigome (Japanese: もち米). It is used to make mochi, a traditional rice cake typically eaten during the Japanese New Year. See also Japanese rice.

[edit] Korean traditions

In Korea, glutinous rice is called chapssal (Hangul: 찹쌀), and its characteristic stickiness is called chalgi (Hangul: 찰기). Cooked rice made of glutinous rice is called chalbap (Hangul: 찰밥) and rice cakes similar to Japanese mochi are called chalddeok or chapssalddeok (Hangul: 찰떡, 찹쌀떡). Chalbap is used as stuffing in samgyetang.

[edit] Laotian and Thai traditions

A Lao rice basket
A Lao rice basket

Sticky rice is the main rice eaten in Laos, Northern Thailand, and the northeast Thai Isan region. In Lao, Thai and Isan, sticky rice is kao neaw (Thai ข้าวเหนียว) : "kao" means rice, and "neaw" means sticky. It is cooked by soaking for several hours and then steaming in a bamboo pot(Thai หวด). After that kept in a small basket made out of bamboo (Thai กระติบ). This results in rice that is sticky but dry, rather than wet and gummy like non-glutinous varieties. The fingers of the right hand are used to eat it by wadding the rice. Two of the most popular dishes are gai yaang and tam mak hung (Thai Isan ตำหมากหุ่ง, better known in the West by the standard Thai name som dtam). Gai yaang is grilled chicken, while tam mak hung is a spicy papaya salad, which does not actually contain sticky rice, but is accompanied by sticky rice. The northern Thais consume sticky rice as part of their main diet, as do the Laotians. Some of the older Thais prefer sticky rice to other rice varieties. Lao people also use toasted sticky rice (kao kua) to add a nut like flavor to many dishes.

Kao neaw is also eaten with desserts. Kao neaw moon is Kao neaw steamed with coconut milk that can be served with ripened mango or durian. And kao neaw kluay is banana and kao neaw steamed together, usually with coconut milk.

[edit] Vietnamese traditions

Sticky rice, known as xôi (cooked) or gao nep (uncooked) in Vietnamese, is most typically eaten during each full moon as offerings. It is also common during Tết, the Vietnamese New Year. It is often colored with food dye or cooked with mung beans. Vietnamese also prepare sticky rice cake (Banh Chung) and brew red sticky rice, resulting in an alcoholic beverage called "ruou nep than".

[edit] Thai traditions

In addition to its position as a staple of Isaan foods, sticky rice is used as the basis for the brewing of sato (Thai:สาโท), an alcoholic beverage also known as "Thai rice wine".

[edit] Filipino traditions

In the Philippines, sticky rice is known as 'malagkit', sticky rice flour is known as 'galapong'. The rice grains are treated with a solution of lye and then dried, then the grains are poured into a banana leaf cone or cocount leaf wrapper and steamed. It may be mixed with sugar, coconut milk, or other grains such as millet. Sticky rice cooked in coconut leaf or banana leaves wrappers are steamed to produce "suman," of which there are many varieties depending on the region. Some of the common toppings are "bukayo", grated mature coconut cooked in sugar, coconut jam, and freshly grated coconut. Some regions eat suman as a snack with ripe mangoes or bananas.

A general term for sweet rice cake, "bibingka" mainly consists of sticky rice cooked with coconut milk. Another traditional Filipino snack very similar to Japanese mochi is called "palitao."

Another popular use of sticky rice is a poridge-like dish with cocoa powder called champorado. Sugar and milk is usually added as condiments.

[edit] Burmese traditions

Kauk hnyin baung sticky rice with beans, salt, and sesame seeds.
Kauk hnyin baung sticky rice with beans, salt, and sesame seeds.
Htamanè sticky rice with coconut, peanuts, sesame and ginger
Htamanè sticky rice with coconut, peanuts, sesame and ginger

Sticky rice, called kauk hnyin, is very popular in Myanmar (formerly Burma). Kauk hnyin baung is a breakfast dish with boiled peas (pè byoke) or with a variety of fritters such as urad dal (baya gyaw) served on a banana leaf. It may actually be cooked wrapped in a banana leaf often with peas and served with a sprinkle of salted toasted sesame and often grated coconut. The purple variety known as nga cheik is equally popular cooked as nga cheik paung. They may both be cooked and pounded into cakes with sesame called hkaw bouk, another favourite version in the north among the Shan and the Kachin and served grilled or fried. Htamanè pwè (festival) takes place on the full moon of Dabodwè (February) when htamanè is cooked in a huge wok, requiring two men each with a wooden spoon the size of an oar, folding and stirring the contents which include kauk hnyin, nga cheik, coconut shavings, peanuts, sesame and ginger in peanut oil.

Paung din (nga cheik) with topu gyaw and baya gyaw fritters
Paung din (nga cheik) with topu gyaw and baya gyaw fritters

Si damin is sticky rice cooked with turmeric and onions in peanut oil and served with toasted sesame and crisp fried onions,a popular breakfast like kauk hnyin baung and nga cheik paung. Paung din is another ready-to-eat portable form cooked in a segment of bamboo, and when the bamboo is peeled off it retains a thin skin around giving off at the same time a distinctive aroma.

Mont let kauk is made from sticky rice flour, doughnut-shaped and fried like baya gyaw but eaten with a dip of jaggery or palm sugar syrup. Mont lone yei baw are sticky rice balls with jaggery inside thrown into boiling water in a huge wok and ready to serve as soon as they resurface - a time-honoured tradition during Thingyan, the Burmese New Year festival. Htoe mont, sticky rice cake with raisins, cashews and coconut shavings, is a traditional dessert for special occasions and very much appreciated as a present from Mandalay; as is la mont (lit. mooncake) - filled with either sugar or sweet bean paste. Another favourite sold by street hawkers like kao hnyin baung and mont let kauk is nga pyaw douk, banana in sticky rice wrapped in banana leaf and steamed and served with grated coconut.

[edit] Malaysian Traditions

In Malaysia, sticky rice is known as pulut, and it is usually mixed with santan, meaning coconut milk in Malay, along with a bit of salt to add some taste. It is widely used during the Raya festive seasons as traditional food, such as

  • Palas - cooked pulut wrapped in triangular shaped crafts made from local leaves and left to be boiled for 3 - 4 hours to result nice shaped compression and to bring out the aroma or taste from the wrapped leaves
  • Lemang - wrapped in banana leaves and inside a bamboo, and left to be barbequed/grilled on an open fire, to make the taste and texture tender and unique
  • Ketupat - square shaped crafts made from the same local leaves as palas, but it is usually filled with regular rice grains instead of pulut, but it depends on the maker.

Pulut will also be used in certain famous kuih, traditional local desserts.

[edit] Beverage made from Glutinous rice

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Delforge, Isabelle (2001). Laos at the crossroads.
  2. ^ a b
  3. ^ Xinhua News Agency. "Sticky porridge used to cement ancient walls", 27 Feb 2005.
  4. ^ Kenneth M. Olsen and Michael D. Purugganan (2002). "Molecular evidence on the origin and evolution of glutinous rice". Genetics 162: 941-950. 
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