--- Diana Chan is bringing the wonder of Asian cuisine to your homes in the second series of Asia Unplated with Diana Chan, Thursdays at 8pm on SBS Food and streaming on SBS On Demand. ---
Glutinous aka sticky rice (despite the name, no gluten, just the ability to go gloriously rich and sticky) is a staple in sweet and savoury dishes in many parts of Asia, used whole or as rice flour. Here are a handful of ways to get your chewy fix.
These steamed sticky rice parcels are stuffed with a umami-rich mushroom and pork filling and served with spring onion vinegar. If you can't get your hands on dried lotus leaves, baking paper will work as a substitute.
"Xoi is the name for a whole suite of sweet and savoury Vietnamese dishes made using sticky rice," says Leanne Kitchen of her recipe for a Vietnamese-style rice and chicken dish. "Often these are served for breakfast as a filling main dish but some types are simple snacks, wrapped in paper and eaten on the run; toppings include coconut, steamed dried beans, peanuts and taro. Similar to Chinese stir-fried sticky rice, this example of xoi is a ‘one-pot’ dish that makes a great easy dinner."
Japan's mochi, delightfully chewy, mellow little pillows of rice-based dough often filled with nut, seed or sweet bean mixtures, get their name from mochigome, a particular strain of glutinous rice. Traditionally, the cooked rice is pounded to make the dough but glutinous rice flour mixed with water can be used instead.
Warm, vibrantly coloured rice dyed with magenta flowers is served up with a sweet-salty peanut and sesame mix, fresh mango and sweetened coconut milk in this recipe from Luke Nguyen.
These golden fried sweets, from Asia Unplated with Diana Chan, are made with glutinous rice flour. The dough is filled with sweet red bean paste, typical of Asian desserts. You'll find these jian dui at almost any Chinese bakery, sometimes also filled with a sweet yellow mung bean paste.
Black sticky rice is an especially vibrant form, turning a deep purple colour when cooked. In this dessert, black rice is cooked in coconut cream then layered in ramekins with a creamy custard before baking. Serve with coconut flakes and palm sugar syrup.
Inspired by various Asian dishes - "It is not faithful to any one country, but is delightful all the same.," says Caroline Griffiths - this stiking breakfast bowl can be topped with whatever you like - fresh fruit, coconut flakes, lime zest, seeds or nuts.
Yaksik is a Korean sweet traditionally served at weddings and hwangab (60th birthday) celebrations. Chestnuts (you can use fresh or canned), sugar, dates, raisins, pinenuts and sticky rice come together in this version.
In the Philippines, traditional chocolate rice pudding, tsamporado, is enjoyed at breakfast by kids and adults alike. In this recipe, cocoa is used to flavour the rice while dark chocolate is sprinkled on top and drizzled with condensed milk.
A recipe shared from Destination Flavour Singapore, these are made with white sweet potato, glutinous rice flour and pandan juice and filled with palm sugar, then rolled in coconut.
This recipe from David Thompson for a classic Thai dessert is served with mango, but if they aren't in season try sliced sugar bananas in stead.
These strikingly pink sticky rice balls are served chilled, drizzled in sugar, honey and lemon syrup.
And one last recipe to show the versatility of sticky rice flour: A clever combination of sweet glutinous rice flour and other gluten-free flours, along with psyllium husks and chia seeds, creates a bread with stucture and flexibility despite the lack of gluten. "This bread is almost the complete opposite of most commercially made gluten-free bread - wonderfully substantial (it won’t ‘dissolve’ in your mouth), moist and flavoursome without containing any gums," says Anneka Manning.
SBS Food is a 24/7 foodie channel for all Australians, with a focus on simple, authentic and everyday food inspiration from cultures everywhere. NSW stream only. Read more about SBS Food
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