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    Home » Rice

    Published: Apr 7, 2021 · 3 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

    Steamed Glutinous Rice With Turmeric

    Jump to Recipe

    If you're into Asian food or more specific Southeast Asian food, then you really have to try this steamed glutinous rice with turmeric and coconut milk.

    If you have tried it already, then you know how uniquely delicious it is, right?

    Well, today I'm going to show you how easy it is to make it.

    Steamed glutinous rice in a steamer basket
    Jump to:
    • Recipe Highlights
    • What Is Glutinous Rice?
    • Lets Talk Ingredients
    • Do I Need To Soak The Rice?
    • How Long Do I Need To Soak The Rice?
    • Recipe Video
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    Recipe Highlights

    Texture and flavour - Soft sticky rice but still with a bite to it, infused with turmeric and coconut milk for colour and flavour. It's usually under-salted because it's usually served together with other curries or sambal.

    Level - Easy.

    Diet - Gluten free.

    Occasions - Whenever you want to impress your Asian food-lover friends and family. Also perfect for celebrations.

    What Is Glutinous Rice?

    Steamed glutinous rice with turmeric and coconut milk in a bamboo basket

    Glutinous rice is also known as sticky rice. Why the name, you might ask, right?

    It's because when you cook it, it'll become sticky due to its high content of starch. The cooked rice grains are not loose like basmati or jasmine rice, for example.

    It's widely consumed in Asia or more specific in Southeast Asia. And you know what? You can use it in both sweet and savoury.

    In savoury dishes you usually serve it together with some curry like this delicious chicken or beef rendang or even sambal.

    Sweet dishes or desserts are like my glutinous rice with pandan custard and mango sticky rice.

    This particular steamed glutinous rice with turmeric is always served in celebratory events in my home country Malaysia. The thing is it's too delicious that I don't wait for any events to serve it in my house! I mean, why would you?

    Lets Talk Ingredients

    Ingredients to make glutinous rice with turmeric and coconut milk

    Glutinous rice - It's very white in colour and the grain is wide and short. Like I mentioned before, it's also known as sticky rice. Unfortunately there's no substitution for this rice.

    Turmeric - Soaking the glutinous rice in turmeric and water is what's going to give our rice its beautiful natural yellow colour and flavour. You can also use fresh turmeric. Using a mortar, just bash 1 inch (2.5 cm) into a paste and use it the same way as indicated in the recipe below.

    Coconut milk - Fresh or canned works great. No worries.

    Do I Need To Soak The Rice?

    Steamed glutinous rice with turmeric and coconut milk in a plate

    Yes, you do.

    Glutinous rice takes longer to cook so soaking it will cut the cooking time shorter. In this particular recipe, soaking the rice with turmeric and water will also naturally dye it to a beautiful yellow colour.

    How Long Do I Need To Soak The Rice?

    Steamed glutinous rice in a plate with bamboo baskets at the back

    What I always do, and how my mother always did it, is soaking the glutinous rice the night before. This way you just get it out of the way and by tomorrow it's already ready when you want to cook it for lunch.

    If you didn't plan earlier or forget, no worries. You can soak it for 4 hours only. Just know that the colour might be not as beautiful bright yellow and you might need to steam it longer.

    Recipe Video

    📖 Recipe

    Steamed glutinous rice in a steamer basket

    Steamed Glutinous Rice With Turmeric

    Perfectly steamed glutinous rice with turmeric and coconut milk. Enjoy this with curries and rendangs. This glutinous rice will soak all the wonderful flavours.
    5 from 2 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Servings: 6 people
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time40 mins
    Soak Time8 hrs

    Ingredients  

    To Soak

    • 2 cups glutinous rice (370 gr)
    • enough water to cover until 1 inch (2.5 cm) over surface
    • 2 teaspoon turmeric powder

    To Steam

    • ½ cup coconut milk (125 ml)
    • ½ cup water (125 ml)
    • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    Soaking

    • Into a bowl, add in glutinous rice, turmeric powder and water. Mix everything together with a spoon. Leave to soak overnight or 8 hours.

    Steaming

    • Into another bowl, add in coconut milk, water and salt. Mix until salt is dissolved and set aside.
    • Prepare your steamer on high heat (using pot, bamboo steamer or electric steamer). Drain the glutinous rice and gently place it in a steamer basket. Steam for 15 minutes or until half cooked.
    • Carefully remove the basket and pour the half cooked rice into the coconut milk mixture. Using a spatula, gently mix everything well until the mixture is fully absorbed.
    • Place the glutinous rice back in the steamer basket and steam for another 20-25 minutes or until fully cooked. Stir every 10 minutes to ensure even cooking. Serve hot with any curry or sambal.

    How To Store

    • Keep in an airtight container, in the fridge. Best consumed within 3-4 days. Reheat in microwave or on medium heat in a steamer for a few minutes.
    • You can also freeze it up to 1 month. Thaw in the fridge and reheat as mentioned above.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @elmundoeats and tag #elmundoeats!

    Originally published on Aug 16, 2017. Updated with improved text, recipe and pictures on Apr 7, 2021.

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    1. Linda Hassan says

      April 09, 2021 at 7:49 pm

      5 stars
      Bea I made it and my mother praised me for it!!
      Thankssssssss!! Lots of love from Malaysia!

      Reply
    2. Linda Hassan says

      April 07, 2021 at 5:27 pm

      5 stars
      I love pulut kuning!!!
      Thank you for sharing because now I can make it myself.

      Reply
      • Bea says

        April 07, 2021 at 5:45 pm

        It's super easy to make, hope you'll give it a try. Thank you Linda!

        Reply

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