Glutinous rice

Glutinous rice ("Oryza sativa var. glutinosa"; also called sticky rice, sweet rice or waxy rice) is a type of rice grown mainly in Southeast and East Asia, Northeastern India and Bhutan which has opaque grains, very low amylose content, and is especially sticky when cooked. It is widely consumed across Asia.
It is called glutinous () in the sense of being glue-like or sticky, and not in the sense of containing gluten (which it does not). While often called "sticky rice", it differs from non-glutinous strains of japonica rice which also become sticky to some degree when cooked. There are numerous cultivars of glutinous rice, which include "japonica", "indica" and "tropical japonica" strains.
History.
In China, glutinous rice has been grown for at least 2,000 years.
Cultivation.
Glutinous rice is grown in Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Bhutan, Northeast India, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, and the Philippines. An estimated 85% of Lao rice production is of this type. The rice has been recorded in the region for at least 1,100 years.
The improved rice varieties (in terms of yield) adopted throughout Asia during the Green Revolution were non-glutinous, and Lao farmers rejected them in favor of their traditional sticky varieties. Over time, higher-yield strains of glutinous rice have become available from the Lao National Rice Research Programme. By 1999, more than 70% of the area along the Mekong River Valley were of these newer strains.
Composition.
Glutinous rice is distinguished from other types of rice by 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.
Like all types of rice, glutinous rice does not contain dietary gluten (i.e. does not contain glutenin and gliadin), and should be safe for gluten-free diets.
Glutinous rice can be used either milled or unmilled (that is, with the bran removed or not removed). Milled glutinous rice is white and fully opaque (unlike non-glutinous rice varieties, which are somewhat translucent when raw), whereas the bran can give unmilled glutinous rice a purple or black color. Black and purple glutinous rice are distinct strains from white glutinous rice. In developing Asia, there is little regulation, and some governments have issued advisories about toxic dyes being added to colour adulterated rice. Both black and white glutinous rice can be cooked as discrete grains, or ground into flour and cooked as a paste or gel.
Use in foods.
Sticky rice is used in many recipes throughout Southeast and East Asia.
Northeastern India.
Sticky rice called "bora saul" is the core component of indigenous Assamese sweets, snacks, and breakfast. This rice is widely used in the traditional sweets of Assam, which are very different from the traditional sweets of India whose basic component is milk.
Such traditional sweets in Assam are Pitha (Narikolor pitha, Til pitha, Ghila pitha, Tel pitha, Keteli pitha, Sunga pitha, Sunga saul etc.). Also, its powder form is used as breakfast or other light meal directly with milk. They are called Pitha guri (if powder was done without frying the rice, by just crushing it after soaking) or Handoh guri (if rice is dry fried first, and then crushed).
The soaked rice is also cooked with no added water inside a special kind of bamboo (called "sunga saul bnaah"). This meal is called "sunga saul".
During religious ceremonies, indigenous Assamese communities make "Mithoi" ("Kesa mithoi" and "Poka mithoi") using "Gnud" with it. Sometimes "Bhog", "Payokh" are also made from it using milk and sugar with it.
Different indigenous Assamese communities make rice beer from sticky rice, preferring it over other varieties of rice for the sweeter and more alcoholic result. This rice beer is also offered to their gods and ancestors (demi-gods). Rice cooked with it is also taken directly as lunch or dinner on rare occasions.
Similarly other indigenous communities from NE India use sticky rice in various forms similar to native Assamese style in their cuisine.
Bangladesh.
In Bangladesh and especially in the Chittagong (Cox's Bazar and Sylhet areas), sticky rice called "bini dhan"(unhusked sticky rice) is very popular. Both white and pink varieties are cultivated at many homestead farms. Husked sticky rice is called "bini choil" (chal) in some dialects. Boiled or steamed "bini choil" is called "Bini Bhat". Served with a curry of fish or meat and grated coconut, "Bini Bhat" is a popular breakfast. Sometimes it is eaten with a splash of sugar, salt, and coconut alone. "Bin dhan" is also used to make "khoi" (popcorn-like puffed rice) and "chida" (bitten husked rice). 
Many other sweet items made of "bini choil" are also popular:
One of the favorite pitas made of "bini choil" is "atikka pita" (pita). It is made with a mixture of cubed or small sliced coconut, white or brown sugar, ripe bananas and "bini choil" wrapped with banana leaf and steamed.
Another delicacy is "Patishapta" pita made of ground "bini choil". Ground "bini choil" is sprayed over a hot pan and a mixture of grated coconut, sugar, milk powder; then ghee is sprayed over that and rolled out. Dumplings made of powdered fried "bini choil" called laru. First "bini choil" is fried and ground into flour. This flour is mixed with sugar or brown sugar, and ghee or butter and is made into small balls or dumplings.
One kind of porridge or "khir" made of "bini choil" is called "modhu (honey) bhat". This "modhu bhat" becomes naturally sweet without mixing any sugar. It is one of the delicacies of local people. To make "modhu bhat" first prepare some normal paddy or rice "(dhan)" for germination by soaking it in the water for few days. After coming out of little sprout dry the paddy and husk and grind the husked rice called "jala choil" into flour. It tastes sweet. Mixing this sweet flour with freshly boiled or steamed warm "bini bhat" and then fermenting the mixture overnight yields "modhu bhat". It is eaten either on its own or with milk, jaggery or grated coconut.
Myanmar.
Glutinous rice, called "kao hnyin" (), is very popular in Myanmar (also known as Burma).
China.
In the Chinese language, glutinous rice is known as "nuòmǐ" (糯米) or "chu̍t-bí" (秫米) in Hokkien.
Glutinous rice is also often ground to make glutinous rice flour. This flour is made into "niangao" and sweet-filled dumplings "tangyuan", both of which are commonly eaten at Chinese New Year. It also used as a thickener and for baking.
Glutinous rice or glutinous rice flour are both used in many Chinese bakery products and in many varieties of dim sum. They produce a flexible, resilient dough, which can take on the flavors of whatever other ingredients are added to it. Cooking usually consists of steaming or boiling, sometimes followed by pan-frying or deep-frying.
Sweet glutinous rice is eaten with red bean paste.
"Nuòmǐ fàn" (糯米飯), is steamed glutinous rice usually cooked with Chinese sausage, chopped Chinese mushrooms, chopped barbecued pork, and optionally dried shrimp or scallop (the recipe varies depending on the cook's preference).
"Zongzi" (Traditional Chinese 糭子/糉子, Simplified Chinese 粽子) is a dumpling consisting of glutinous rice and sweet or savory fillings wrapped in large flat leaves (usually bamboo), which is then boiled or steamed. It is especially eaten during the Dragon Boat Festival, but may be eaten at any time of the year. It is popular as an easily transported snack, or a meal to consume while traveling. It is a common food among Chinese in Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaysia.
Cifangao (Traditional Chinese 糍飯糕, Simplified Chinese 糍饭糕) is a popular breakfast food originating in Eastern China consisting of cooked glutinous rice compressed into squares or rectangles, and then deep-fried. Additional seasoning and ingredients such as beans, zha cai, and sesame seeds may be added to the rice for added flavour. It has a similar appearance and external texture to hash browns.
"Cifantuan" (Traditional Chinese 糍飯糰, Simplified Chinese 糍饭团) is another breakfast food consisting of a piece of youtiao tightly wrapped in cooked glutinous rice, with or without additional seasoning ingredients. Japanese onigiri resembles this Chinese food.
"Lo mai gai" (糯米雞) is a dim sum dish consisting of glutinous rice with chicken in a lotus-leaf wrap, which is then steamed. It is served as a dim sum dish in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia.
"Ba bao fan" (八寶飯), or "eight treasure rice", is a dessert made from glutinous rice, steamed and mixed with lard, sugar, and eight kinds of fruits or nuts. It can also be eaten as the main course.
Hakka Chinese.
A distinctive feature of Hakka cuisine is its variety of steamed snack-type buns, dumplings and patties made with a dough of coarsely ground rice, or "ban". Collectively known as "rice snacks", some kinds are filled with various salty or sweet ingredients.
Common examples of rice snacks made with "ban" from glutinous or sticky rice and non-glutinous rice include "Aiban" (mugwort patty), "Caibao" (turnip bun)[This 'turnip' is not the Western turnip. The proper name is yam bean. [In Mandarin Chinese, it is known as dòushǔ(豆薯) or liáng shǔ (涼薯)] "Ziba" (sticky rice balls) and "Bantiao" ("Mianpaban" or flat rice noodles).
"Aiban" encompasses several varieties of steamed patties and dumplings of various shapes and sizes, consisting of an outer layer made of glutinous "ban" dough filled with salty or sweet ingredients. It gets its name from the aromatic "ai" grass (mugwort), which after being dried, powdered and mixed with the "ban", gives the dough a green color and an intriguing tea-like taste. Typical salty fillings include ground pork, mushrooms, and shredded white turnips. The most common sweet filling is made with red beans.
"Caibao" is a generic term for all types of steamed buns with various sorts of filling. Hakka-style "caibao" are distinctive in that the enclosing skin is made with glutinous rice dough in the place of wheat flour dough. Besides ground pork, mushrooms and shredded turnips, fillings may include ingredients such as dried shrimp and dry fried-shallot flakes.
"Ziba" is glutinous rice dough which, after steaming in a big container, is mashed into a sticky, putty-like mass from which small patties are formed and coated with a layer of sugary peanut powder. It has no filling.
Philippines.
In the Philippines, glutinous rice is known as malagkit in Tagalog or pilit in Visayan, among other names. Both meaning "sticky". The most common way glutinous rice is prepared in the Philippines is through soaking uncooked glutinous rice in water or coconut milk (usually overnight) and then grinding it into a thick paste (traditionally with stone mills). This produces a rich and smooth viscous rice dough known as galapóng, which is the basis for numerous rice cakes in the Philippines. However, in modern preparation methods, "galapong" is sometimes made directly from dry glutinous rice flour (or from commercial Japanese "mochiko"), with poorer-quality results.
"Galapong" was traditionally allowed to ferment, which is still required for certain dishes. A small amount of starter culture of microorganisms ("tapay" or "bubod") or palm wine ("tubâ") may be traditionally added to rice being soaked to hasten the fermentation. These can be substituted with yeast or baking soda in modern versions. Other versions of "galapong" may also be treated with wood ash lye.
Aside from the numerous white and red glutinous rice cultivars, the most widely used glutinous rice heirloom cultivars in the Philippines are "tapol" and "pirurutong" rice, both of which have colors ranging from purple, reddish brown, to almost black. However both varieties are expensive and becoming increasingly rare, thus some Filipino recipes nowadays substitute it with dyed regular glutinous rice or infuse purple yam ("ube") to achieve the same coloration.
Dessert delicacies in the Philippines are known as "kakanin" (from "kanin", "prepared rice"). These were originally made primarily from rice, but in recent centuries, the term has come to encompass dishes made from other types of flour, including corn flour ("masa"), cassava, wheat, and so on. Glutinous rice figures prominently in two main subtypes of "kakanin": the "puto" (steamed rice cakes), and the "bibingka" (baked rice cakes). Both largely utilize glutinous rice "galapong". A notable variant of "puto" is "puto bumbong", which is made with "pirurutong".
Other "kakanin" that use glutinous rice include "suman", "biko", and "sapin-sapin" among others. There is also a special class of boiled "galapong" dishes like "palitaw", "moche", "mache", and "masi". Fried "galapong" is also used to make various types of "buchi", which are the local Chinese-Filipino versions of "jian dui". They are also used to make "puso", which are boiled rice cakes in woven leaf pouches.
Aside from "kakanin", glutinous rice is also used in traditional Filipino rice gruels or porridges known as "lugaw". They include both savory versions like "arroz caldo" or "goto" which are similar to Chinese-style congee; and dessert versions like "champorado", "binignit", and "ginataang mais".
Indonesia.
Glutinous rice is known as beras ketan or simply ketan in Java and most of Indonesia, and pulut in Sumatra. It is widely used as an ingredient for a wide variety of sweet, savoury or fermented snacks. Glutinous rice is used as either hulled grains or milled into flour. It is usually mixed with santan, meaning coconut milk in Indonesian, along with a bit of salt to add some taste. Glutinous rice is rarely eaten as a staple. One example is "lemang", which is glutinous rice and coconut milk cooked in bamboo stem lined by banana leaves. Glutinous rice is also sometimes used in a mix with normal rice in rice dishes such as "nasi tumpeng" or nasi tim. It is widely used during the Lebaran seasons as traditional food. It is also used in the production of alcoholic beverages such as "tuak" and "brem bali".
Crackers.
In addition, glutinous rice dishes adapted from other cultures are easily available. Examples include "kue moci" (mochi, Japanese) and "bacang" (zongzi, Chinese).
Indonesian glutinous rice dishes
Japan.
In Japan, glutinous rice is known as "mochigome" [mō-chee-gōmay] (). It is used in traditional dishes such as sekihan is known as the red rice, okowa, and ohagi. It may also be ground into "mochiko" (もち粉) a rice flour, used to make "mochi" (もち) which are known as sweet rice cakes to the non-Japanese, "mochi" a traditional rice cake prepared for the Japanese New Year but also eaten year-round. See also Japanese rice.
Korea.
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 (Hangul: 떡, ddeok) are called "chalddeok" or "chapssalddeok" (Hangul: 찰떡, 찹쌀떡). "Chalbap" is used as stuffing in "samgyetang" (Hangul: 삼계탕).
Laos.
Glutinous rice is the main rice eaten in Laos (see Lao cuisine), the Lao eat more sticky rice than any other people in the world. Sticky rice is considered the essence of what it means to be Lao. It has been said that no matter where they are in the world, sticky rice will always be the glue that holds the Lao communities together, connecting them to their culture and to Laos. Often the Lao will refer to themselves as "luk khao niao", which can be translated as 'sticky rice people'. Sticky rice is known as "khao niao" (Lao:ເຂົ້າໜຽວ): "khao" means rice, and "niao" means sticky. It is cooked by soaking for several hours and then steaming in a bamboo basket or "houat" (Lao: ຫວດ). After that, it should be turned out on a clean surface and kneaded with a wooden paddle to release the steam; this results in rice balls that will stick to themselves but not to fingers. The large rice ball is kept in a small basket made of bamboo or "thip khao" (Lao:ຕິບເຂົ້າ). The rice is sticky but dry, rather than wet and gummy like non-glutinous varieties. Laotians consume glutinous rice as part of their main diet; they also use toasted glutinous rice "khao khoua" (Lao:ເຂົ້າຄົ່ວ) to add a nut-like flavor to many dishes. A popular Lao meal is a combination of larb (Lao:ລາບ), Lao grilled chicken ping gai (Lao:ປີ້ງໄກ່), spicy green papaya salad dish known as "tam mak hoong" (Lao:ຕຳໝາກຫູ່ງ), and sticky rice ("khao niao").
Khao niao is also used as an ingredient in desserts. Khao niao mixed with coconut milk can be served with ripened mango or durian.
Malaysia.
In Malaysia, glutinous rice is known as pulut. It is usually mixed with santan (coconut milk) along with a bit of salt to add some taste. It is widely used during the Raya festive seasons as traditional food which is shared both with certain parts of Indonesia, such as:
Thailand.
In Thailand, glutinous rice is known as "khao niao" (; lit. 'sticky rice') in central Thailand and Isan, and as "khao nueng" (; lit. 'steamed rice') in northern Thailand. Northern Thais (Lanna people) and northeastern Thais traditionally eat glutinous rice as their staple food. Southern and central Thais, and northeastern Thais from Surin Province and neighboring areas influenced by the Khmer-Thai people favor non-sticky "khao chao". Sticky rice at table is typically served individually in a small woven basket (, ).
Vietnam.
Glutinous rice is called "gạo nếp" in Vietnamese. Dishes made from glutinous rice in Vietnam are typically served as desserts or side dishes, but some can be served as main dishes. There is a wide array of glutinous rice dishes in Vietnamese cuisine, the majority of them can be categorized as follows:
Glutinous rice can also be fermented to make Vietnamese alcoholic beverages, such as rượu nếp, rượu cần and rượu đế.
Non-food uses.
According to legend, glutinous rice was used to make the mortar in the construction of the Great Wall of China. Chemical tests have confirmed that this is true for the city walls of Xi'an. In Assam also, this rice was used for building palaces during Ahom rule.
Glutinous rice starch is often used as a vegetarian glue or adhesive.