{"id":791,"date":"2021-11-12T19:08:00","date_gmt":"2021-11-12T11:08:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.alienrecipes.com\/?p=791"},"modified":"2022-12-22T15:05:40","modified_gmt":"2022-12-22T07:05:40","slug":"sweet-or-salty-sticky-rice-balls-recipe","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.alienrecipes.com\/sweet-or-salty-sticky-rice-balls-recipe\/","title":{"rendered":"Sweet or Salty Sticky Rice Balls Recipe"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The Deliciously Versatile Side Snack<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Sticky rice balls are a tasty and neat way to serve up an accompanying snack to almost any imaginable cuisine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Treating yourself to Mexican food tonight? Sling on a couple of rice balls in your burrito. Feel like Chinese or Indian? Nothing goes better with broths and curries than sticky rice balls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if you\u2019re feeling like a taste of Italian tonight, sticky rice balls can take your dish to the next level in terms of both presentation and taste \u2014 yum!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I think a lot of cooks put off trying to make sticky rice balls because it seems like a tricky endeavor, but they\u2019re actually amazingly simple to make, trust me!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

My tum\u2019s already grumbling, so let\u2019s stop the chit-chat and get down to business. Are you ready to get sticky?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What You\u2019ll Need for This Sticky Rice Balls Recipe<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m keeping this recipe as simple as possible because the beauty of sticky rice balls is that they provide a blank canvas for you to flavor or stuff to suit the meal you\u2019ve got planned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I\u2019m going to give you the basic know-how, and you\u2019re going to take it from there with whatever flavors you\u2019re feeling. Sound good? Good; here\u2019s what you\u2019ll need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ingredients<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
  1. 3 cups of short grain rice<\/strong> – Short grain rice is also known as glutinous rice, and it\u2019s this glutinous, sticky texture that\u2019s going to help the rice, well…stick.<\/li>
  2. Enough water to keep the rice covered<\/strong> – I use the Thai method of cooking sticky rice balls, which involves using a sieve to cradle the rice as it boils in the pot.<\/li>
  3. Literally, whatever you want<\/strong> – Rice is as versatile as it comes, and now that you\u2019re going to be able to form neat little shapes with it, it opens up tons of flavorful options. I wholeheartedly recommend letting your creative side come to life and experimenting with anything you\u2019ve got to hand in the kitchen.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Don\u2019t worry if you\u2019re not sure how or when you\u2019d incorporate your own ingredients, as I\u2019m going to be making tons of tasty suggestions during my step-by-step guide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Equipment<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    1. A medium-sized pan<\/strong> – You\u2019ll be cooking the rice in this pan, so make sure your sieve rests nicely on the rim, and speaking of sieves\u2026<\/li>
    2. A sieve<\/strong> – You may think it\u2019s strange to cook rice in a sieve, but all will be revealed, my friend.<\/li>
    3. A medium burner<\/strong> – Gotta fire up the hob in order to boil up our sticky rice.<\/li>
    4. An ice cream scoop<\/strong> (you need to taste our delicious Durian Ice Cream Recipe<\/a>) – That\u2019s right, folks. This is how we\u2019re going to ball up our sticky rice.<\/li>
    5. A Bowl<\/strong> – We\u2019ll be using this to give our rice a nice soak.<\/li>
    6. Side-Note<\/strong> – If you plan on stuffing your rice balls, you\u2019ll need a couple of extras, such as cellophane and a chopping board.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n

      Method<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      I\u2019m getting hungry just writing this, so let\u2019s dive straight into the method. You\u2019ll be tucking into those delicious sticky treats in no time!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Step 1. Soaking the rice<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Pour your three cups of rice into a bowl, then fill the bowl with enough water to cover the rice. The rice needs to soak for an hour before we actually cook it, but if you\u2019re in a rush, feel free to cut the soak time in half.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      If you want to add some subtle flavorings to your rice balls, now\u2019s a good time to introduce them. Why not stir some ginger and garlic powder into the water? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      It will mostly boil off during the cooking process, but a lovely hint of the flavor will remain, adding depth to the meal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Note that I don\u2019t rinse the rice. This is because washing rice removes the starchy coat, and we need all the stickiness we can get in order to shape the rice into balls once it\u2019s cooked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Step 2. Boiling the Rice<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      During the last five minutes of the soaking process, fill your medium-sized saucepan with water and put it to boil on the burner. Once the bubbles are a-bubblin\u2019, empty your rice out over your sink into your sieve, then sit the sieve in the saucepan. Boil for 20 minutes<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      If you\u2019re going for an Italian risotto vibe, at this point you can add lots of tasty stuff to the water such as herbs, spices, stocks, or even white wine. If you are after more of a Chinese or Japanese-style meal, a dash of soy sauce is great too.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Why the sieve? Well, it\u2019s simple, really; it\u2019s all about keeping things as easy as possible. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Although you can absolutely eat sticky rice balls on their own, the chances are you\u2019re at least cooking a sauce to go with them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      When we use a sieve, it stops the rice from making contact with the pan, so we don\u2019t have to constantly stir it. All you have to do is ensure the water level covers the rice, and you can crack on with your other jobs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Step 3. Drain and portion the rice<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

      Once 20 minutes has passed, place your sieve of rice over an empty pot in your sink and allow the water to drain away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Take your ice cream scoop (mine\u2019s a 1\/3oz scoop) and scoop up some rice, pressing it into the scoop with a spoon, and voil\u00e0; you’ve made your first sticky rice ball \u2014 hurray!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      If you wish to stuff your rice balls with mango, or bacon, or whatever you\u2019re in the mood for, place a small blanket of rice on some cellophane, add your filling to the middle, then enclose the mix in the cellophane. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Ball it up tightly with your hands, making sure the rice has fully surrounded the filling, unwrap it, and you\u2019re done!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Final Thoughts – A Sticky Situation<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

      There you have it, my hungry friend. Sticky rice (check out our rice noodle recipe)<\/a> balls aren\u2019t so difficult to make after all, huh? Now you can impress your friends and family with your sticky skills, whenever the feeling strikes, which, if you\u2019re anything like me, will be all the dang time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Hopefully, you\u2019ve cooked up some of your favorite sauces and nibbles to serve with your sticky rice balls. All you have to do now is prepare yourself for a scrumptious meal. I\u2019m very, very jealous!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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