What's Cooking? - The Trick to the Stick - Sticky Rice

I just discovered the secret to making sticky rice (I use it for sushi) and I've been dying to share it with you.
Sticky rice is used in Asian cultures because 1. Rice is healthy, cheap, and actually has protein as well as carbs, and 2. Sticky Rice is easier to handle for eating with hands or chopsticks.

We are such a cook and serve it up fast society, that I never, ever imagined what my problem could be, making sticky rice. I'd buy the packaged short grained, glutenous, sticky rice, cook it and no sticky. I've been cooking rice for years, and I swear I know how to cook rice. I was wrong.

Did you know that you have to SOAK rice for hours to make it sticky? You can actually make ANY rice sticky by soaking it. You don't have to buy fancy sticky rice. Soaking makes the Gluten come to the surface of the rice, so when you cook it, it sticks together.

You can boil or steam with the same sticky result. Just take your rice, preferably short grained, with the proportions of 1 cup rice to 1 1/2 cup water. Soak for 3 hours to overnight. REALLY

This is how I cook, so easy. I put the rice in a pot and add the water. Soak for 3 hours. Do not add salt or any oils. Bring to a Boil then remove from heat. Cover and let stand until all the water is absorbed.

So easy And indeed yummy. In China, a bowl of rice is served as a stand alone accompaniment to the meal. Food is rarely slathered over or mixed in. Fried Rice, with bits of meat and vegetables is a cheap meal, served in factories and low income homes. Kind of a budget stretcher, like pasta or soup. Quick to make, and puts good use to leftovers.