Sticky Rice
Glutinous rice may be prepared with less water than non-glutinous rice requires. Indeed, when on the move, it is possible to place some grains together with a little water into a section of a freshly-cut piece of bamboo, put it on top of an open fir and, once the bamboo is burnt, the rice is ready. When the rice is initially mixed with some other grains, meat or insects (especially the highly prized insects that live inside the bamboo), an entire meal may be prepared in this way. More common in Laos is to be served sticky rice in a traditional woven container and to break off small lumps with the fingers to be eaten with fish, grilled meats or the intensely spicy salads and curries that Tai peoples always seem to favour. Accompanied by a few glasses of glutinous rice whisky, this makes for a wholly authentic meal - albeit one that takes some people a while to get used to.
Nguyen Xuan Hien and Tran Thi Giang Lien, "Purple Glutinous Rice," Tai Culture, Vol.V, No.1 (June, 2000), pp.36-55. This article has been expanded into a book of the same name and published in Bangkok by the White Lotus Company.
The copyright of the article Sticky Rice in East Asian History is owned by John Walsh. Permission to republish Sticky Rice in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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