How to make Bamboo Sticky Rice

Last updated on February 8th, 2024 at 02:57 am

In my humble opinion, sticky rice is one of the best things to make. It’s just so much fun to eat and delicious. In this version, it is cooked in bamboo and kind of sweet. However, it is not a desert and we had it with our normal dinner. So for the adventurous and creative among you: here is the recipe to make this treat yourself (well, if you happen to have bamboo to cook it in that is…)

Ingredients:

• sticky rice
• sweet potato
• black beans (optional)
• coconut milk
• pandan leaf
• sugar
• tools: bamboo, banana leaf

Note: You can take a pause after any step. We prepared this spread over like two days, it really doesn’t matter.

Step One: Let the rice soak in water over night. Prepare some pieces of green bamboo by cutting them under the nodes, so the bottom is closed, while the top is open.

Step Two: Cook the black beans. While they are simmering, peel the sweet potato and cut it into small pieces.

Step Three: Drain the rice and add the sweet potato and black beans to it. Stir until everything is spread evenly. Then put the misture into the bamboo. For this it is recommended to form a funnel with a banana leaf, so it is easier to put in. Alternatively, any funnel with a big enough opening will do.

Step Four: To make pandan leaf juice, take a handful of pandan leaves and cut them into small pieces, then put them into a mixer with some water and mix it, until the leaves are fully shreddered. Then drain them, keeping the green juice and throwing out the leaves. For this you ideally use some cloth as the openings of a normal sieve are too big.

Step Five: Cook the coconut milk with the pandan leaf juice and some sugar. Check how sweet you like it and adapt the amount of sugar accordingly. Then pour the liquid into the bamboo.

Step Six: Before cooking the rice in the bamboo in ambers, close the top with a banana leaf. Put the bamboo into the ambers at a relatively steep angle in the beginning and let the bottom cook. Then slowly put it lower, so the middle and finally the top get cooked too. This is important as if the rice in the middle is cooked first, it sticks together and when the liquid in the bottom evaporates, the pressure can lead to the bamboo exploding. Also, be careful, not to burn the bamboo. When all the liquid is gone, the rice should be finished (if not, you can take it out of the bamboo and cook it with some soy milk or water until it has a nice texture).

Step Seven: Peel off the bamboo and enjoy you fantastic Bamboo Sticky Rice!