Sticky rice, white (raw, organic?)

What is sticky rice? White sticky rice is peeled rice that is very sticky due to its high amylopectin content. The classification of sticky rice ( white, raw) is not always clear, so due to its special sticky properties it is also found as a separate variety: Oryza sativa var. glutinosa.

Using sticky rice in the kitchen:

The traditional Thai white sticky rice is not cooked in a saucepan, but rather steamed in a conical bamboo basket. This gives the sticky rice its typical sticky consistency rather than a mushy consistency. Due to a mutation, sticky rice is more ^sticky than rice pudding, risotto rice or sushi rice.

Sticky rice cannot be easily replaced with rice pudding (raw). However, mochi rice, a very sticky, sweet-tasting brown rice, is a healthier whole grain alternative, especially in organic quality. Raw sticky rice grains are cloudy and milky white, not transparent (glassy).

When cooked, sticky rice tastes slightly sweet, which makes it a good base for sweet dishes and desserts. But sticky rice also tastes good with spicy salads, as a side dish to salty main dishes, or as an ingredient in other savory sticky rice recipes. The strong stickiness means that sticky rice can be eaten with your hands. In Thai food stalls, it is served in small plastic bags for barbecues, or it is made into small sandwiches and filled for on the go. Once formed into small balls, sticky rice is dipped with the fingers in sauces made from vegetables or pulses (traditionally also with meat and fish).

White sticky rice is known not only in Thailand but also throughout East and Southeast Asia: In China, people like to eat white sticky rice in the form of sticky rice dumplings, wrapped in bamboo leaves, with sweet or salty fillings (Chinese zongzi). In Vietnam, sticky rice (gao nep) is used for desserts, dessert soups and rice cakes. Rice cakes (mochi) are also known in Japan, made from mochi rice flour (sticky rice flour). In Korea, white sticky rice is used to make porridge dishes with all kinds of ingredients.

Due to its stickiness, white glutinous rice is also used as a thickener and binding agent (e.g. for sauces and puddings), similar to rice flour.

Vegan recipe for sticky rice with mango:

Ingredients (for 4 people): 250 g sticky rice (white, raw, organic), 400 ml oat cream, two mangos (alternatively seasonal fruits such as pears, apricots, plums), salt.

Preparation: Raw Prepare the sticky rice (organic) after washing it thoroughly with water and soaking it for the specified time in a pressure cooker or bamboo steamer (see below under "Your own preparation"). Put the finished sticky rice in a bowl. Bring the oat cream to the boil with a pinch of salt and simmer gently for 2 minutes. Pour the mixture over the sticky rice and keep about 100 ml for garnishing. Stir carefully until the sticky rice has absorbed the oat cream.

Peel the mangos, remove the flesh from the stone and cut into slices. Alternatively, wash the seasonal fruit, remove any stones and cut to size. Divide the sticky rice into four portions and arrange on a plate or in a bowl. Finally, pour the remaining oat cream over the sticky rice, garnish with the fruit slices or pieces and enjoy the vegan dessert immediately.

Note: The traditional Thai dessert called 'khao niao mamuang' (known as 'mango sticky rice') is vegan and usually also contains sugar. For health reasons, we recommend leaving out the sugar. Alternatively, you can increase the sweetness by adding riper, sweeter fruits or a small amount of dried fruits (eg dates).

Vegan recipes with white sticky rice can be found under the note: " Recipes that have the most of this ingredient ".

Shopping - where to buy white sticky rice?

Where can you buy sticky rice? Conventional supermarkets such as Coop, Migros, Denner, Volg, Spar, Aldi, Lidl, Rewe, Edeka, Hofer etc. usually do not stock white sticky rice (raw). Occasionally you can find certain types of sticky rice in larger organic supermarkets (e.g. Alnatura or Denn's Biomarkt), organic shops, health food stores and drugstores. We recommend that you get information about the types of rice sold directly from your local shop. Raw sticky rice is mainly available in Asian shops, online shops or delicatessens. Black sticky rice (organic) is also available there, but it is unpeeled, i.e. whole grain. Not to be confused with black rice (Venere). Black glutinous rice is also called 'purple sticky rice' because some of the grains appear purple or red when raw (but it is not red glutinous rice).

In Asian shops and online shops you can also buy glutinous rice flour, which is used for mochi (Japanese rice cakes), among other things.

White sticky rice is peeled rice and therefore no longer capable of germinating, meaning it is not suitable as a raw food. Read more about 'germinating wholegrain rice' under the ingredient wholegrain rice, brown rice.

Homemade preparation - steaming white sticky rice:

Traditional preparation: Wash white sticky rice (raw) thoroughly and at least twice and then soak it in water for a few hours (3-12 hours). The longer the soaking time, the shorter the steaming time. Then pour off the water and rinse the sticky rice again. Put the well-drained white sticky rice in a traditional, conical bamboo basket that has been well moistened beforehand. Other bamboo steaming baskets are also suitable. Now bring enough water to the boil in the steamer and place the bamboo steamer basket with the sticky rice in the steamer. Cover the sticky rice with a saucepan lid and steam for approx. 20 minutes. Turn the sticky rice lump over in the steamer basket and steam for another 10 minutes. After the steaming time, remove the sticky rice from the steamer and place it in a sealable container until consumption. ⁴

Alternative preparation: If you don't have a bamboo steamer, you can steam the sticky rice (organic) using a sieve. Fill a large saucepan with enough water, bring to the boil and place the sieve on the edge of the pan. Now spread a damp cotton kitchen towel over the insert and put the washed and soaked sticky rice in it. Close the towel over the sticky rice and put the lid on top. The gap between the sieve and the lid should be as small as possible so that hardly any steam escapes. After steaming for around 30 minutes at medium heat, the sticky rice is ready. This method is also suitable for steaming in a metal steamer. ⁵

How else can you cook sticky rice? You can also prepare sticky rice using a food processor with a cooking function, a rice cooker, a microwave or a saucepan. The important thing in all preparation methods is that the end result is sticky, but not watery or mushy.

Storage:

Like all types of rice, white sticky rice (raw) should be stored in a dark, cool and, above all, dry place. White, hulled rice has a shelf life of around 2-3 years. Its shelf life is somewhat longer than that of raw whole grain rice. The hulling process removes not only the husk but also the silver skin and the germ, which promote rancidity in brown rice. Do not store raw sticky rice next to foods with strong odors such as spices, coffee, tea or chocolate, as the rice will otherwise take on their odor.

Cooked, white sticky rice can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two days if properly cooled and well covered. If necessary, sticky rice can also be frozen in portions, but the desired sticky consistency changes to a more mushy consistency when reheated. We recommend that you smell and taste the rice before reheating. Proper cooling (<5 °C) and reheating (>70 °C) guarantees that any bacteria that may occur, such as Bacillus cereus, are killed. ²

Ingredients - Nutritional values - Calories:

Sticky rice (white, raw) has an energy content of 370 kcal (kilocalories) per 100 g. These sticky rice calories come mainly from carbohydrates. White sticky rice contains 6.8 g of protein per 100 g and is relatively low in protein compared to other types of grain such as spelt (15 g/100g) or oats (17 g/100g). There is little fat at 0.55 g/100g. ⁶

The manganese content in white sticky rice is 0.97 mg/100g. The loss of the trace element is noticeable not only when the rice is peeled, but also when it is cooked: raw wholegrain rice has about 4 mg/100g and cooked long-grain wholegrain rice only has 0.97 mg/100g. The situation is similar with raw chickpeas (2 mg/100g) compared to cooked ones with about 1 mg/100g. Spices contain a lot of manganese, but we only consume a small amount of it, such as saffron (28 mg/100g) or cloves (60 mg/100g). ⁶ Manganese plays an important role in the formation of cartilage tissue. ⁷

Sticky rice contains valuable protein, such as the amino acid tryptophan, which is present at 0.08 g/100g. Raw rice varieties and rice products have similar amounts, but corn flour also has comparable values at 0.06 g/100g. Ripe soybeans far exceed the daily requirement at 0.59 g/100g. The really essential amino acid threonine is also contained in white sticky rice at 0.24 g/100g. Soybeans and peeled hemp seeds also have a larger amount here at around 0.6 g/100g. ⁶

White sticky rice contains a similar amount of selenium at 15 µg/100g such as peeled short grain rice, long grain rice and also corn (16 µg/100g). This selenium content accounts for 27% of the daily requirement. Brazil nuts, depending on the region in which they are grown, contain a very high amount of selenium: 100 g of them contain 1,920 µg of selenium. ⁶ Therefore, 1-3 Brazil nuts (from Bolivia) are sufficient for the daily requirement. Selenium supports the body's antioxidant protection system, ⁸ but also varies greatly in rice depending on the region in which it is grown and the type of soil.

The complete ingredients of white sticky rice, the coverage of the daily requirement and comparison values with other ingredients can be found in our nutrient tables. In the article Nutrients explained you will get a detailed insight into the topic.

Health aspects of sticky rice - effects:

Is sticky rice healthy? Rice - generally all types of rice - is considered healthy because it contains hardly any fat or cholesterol and is very filling. However, wholegrain rice is preferable to white rice because it is still surrounded by the vitamin-rich silver skin. So you can choose mochi rice (or wholegrain mochi rice) as a healthier alternative to sticky rice. Peeled white rice hardly contains any healthy ingredients. In addition, the fiber content is also significantly lower. ⁹

Rice bran, which is rich in fiber and is a waste product from rice processing, helps prevent colon cancer thanks to its antioxidant effect. ¹⁰ Its use is similar to that of wheat bran.

Does sticky rice contain gluten? Like rice, sticky rice is gluten-free, even if the English name 'glutinous rice' suggests otherwise. Therefore, sticky rice is also suitable for people with gluten intolerance, gluten sensitivity or celiac disease. When shopping, look for a note for gluten-free foods (e.g. crossed-out ear of corn).

Dangers - intolerances - side effects:

White rice has a higher glycemic index (GI) than wholegrain rice. The GI depends heavily on the type of rice and on the types of starch contained in the rice grain, amylose and amylopectin; therefore, it is difficult to predict the exact blood sugar reaction to rice. ²¹ In any case, frequent consumption of white rice also increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes. This was shown by a study conducted in Asia. ¹⁴ Regular consumption of wholegrain rice, on the other hand, is said to reduce the risk of developing diabetes. ²² For more information on diabetes, read our article Plant-based diet can prevent or cure type 2 diabetes.

Amylose can resist digestion longer than amylopectin, which is why the degree of digestibility of starches decreases with increasing amylose content. Glutinous rice starch, with its composition of very little amylose and a lot of amylopectin, should therefore be easily digestible. However, the high proportion of amylopectin in glutinous rice contributes to its poorer digestibility compared to other types of rice. ²³ However, this digestibility cannot be attributed solely to the starch properties (in terms of composition of amylose and amylopectin), as the contradiction in the chain of reasoning of a 2015 study shows. ¹³ The digestibility of various plant foods in relation to their starch composition is currently the subject of research.

The application of fertilizers and pesticides causes heavy metals such as arsenic (As) and cadmium (Cd) to enter the groundwater in some rice-growing regions. Rice plants absorb these toxins through their roots and accumulate them. Eating contaminated rice every day can lead to cancer. ¹¹ Rice products such as rice cakes or rice flakes can also have high levels; maximum levels have been set in an EU regulation since 2015. ¹⁶ Since small children absorb arsenic even more easily than adults, children under 3 years of age should not be fed primarily rice products. ¹² Give preference to organically grown sticky rice.

The traditional Japanese rice cakes called mochi are made from glutinous rice flour. Since they contain a lot of sugar, they should only be eaten rarely. In addition, cases of choking often occur when eating mochi. It is therefore advisable to only bite off small pieces. ¹⁵

Folk medicine - natural medicine:

In China, sticky rice is also used in traditional Chinese medicine ( TCM) to improve physical performance. ¹³

Occurrence - Origin:

Sticky rice has long been culturally important in Asia. The origin of this rice variety is attributed to a mutation of the so-called "waxy gene", which led to the sticky phenotype. The geographical origin of this mutation is located in Southeast Asia. ¹

Sticky rice (white) is a staple food for many small farmers in the GMS (Greater Mekong Subregion) in Southeast Asia. The main producers are Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, but also China (Chinese sticky rice). In addition to Asia, sticky rice is also cultivated in the continents of South America, North America, Europe and Africa. ¹⁷

Cultivation - Harvest:

Further information on cultivation, harvest and ecological aspects concerning rice and rice varieties can be found under the ingredient whole grain rice.

Possibility of confusion:

Some people confuse sticky rice and jasmine rice because of their elongated grain shape and similar aromas. However, jasmine rice tastes much more floral (hence the name fragrant rice) and white sticky rice has a slightly sweet taste of its own. The stickiness is also easy to distinguish: jasmine rice only sticks together slightly, in contrast to sticky rice, which is very sticky. ³

White sticky rice is easily recognized raw by its milky white color. Jasmine rice and other types of white long grain rice (e.g. basmati rice) appear more transparent when raw. When cooked, the external appearance is reversed: sticky rice is somewhat translucent and jasmine rice is white in color. ⁵

General information:

The classification of sticky rice is not entirely clear. We assume that the classification of sticky rice varieties is based on the origin, but also on the typical variety-specific characteristics of the rice grains (such as round grain, medium grain and long grain). Sticky rice is often classified as long grain rice ( Oryza sativa ssp. indica) because of the length of the grains (6-7 mm). Sweet brown rice ( Mochi rice), which is also classified as a sticky rice variety, is sometimes classified as round grain rice ( Oryza sativa ssp. japonica) or medium grain rice ( Oryza sativa ssp. javanica). Sticky rice is not always a separate variety, but due to its special sticky properties it is a separate variety, Oryza sativa var. glutinosa.

Alternative names:

In Indonesia, white sticky rice is also called Ketan rice, in Thailand the 'rice for the poor' is also known as Khao Niao (khao niao) or Kao Niau. It is also called sticky rice or white sticky rice. Incorrect spellings: sticky rice, glutinous rice, glutinous rice or glutinous rice. In addition, the spelling white sticky rice is common in German-speaking countries, outside of Switzerland.

In English, white glutinous rice is called white glutinous rice, glutinous rice, sticky rice, sweet rice and waxy rice.

Key words for use:

Rice is an important foodstuff worldwide, but it can also be used in non-food applications. Rice oil, wax and protein-rich feed flour can be obtained from by-products or waste products from rice processing. The husks of rice grains are also suitable for building boards and as polishing and fuel. Rice straw is used in livestock farming and as a weaving material for mats, sacks and hats. ¹⁹

One specific use of glutinous rice is the production of glutinous rice glue, a natural, environmentally friendly adhesive. This wet glue is known as a high-performance adhesive for wallpaper. Glutinous rice can also be used to make mortar, i.e. rice mortar. The usual rice mortar composition consists of sticky rice water, lime and sand. This process was also used in the construction of the Great Wall of China. ²⁰ The rice starch amylopectin plays an important role in the durability of glutinous rice mortar. A special rice mortar recipe consists of a combination of glutinous rice with so-called 'nanolime' (products based on calcium hydroxide nanoparticles), which shows an increased solidification of lime mortar, which can have a positive effect on its durability against high temperatures and humidity. ¹⁸

Literature - Sources: