Glutinous rice

Glutinous rice(Oryza sativavar. glutinosa; also calledsticky rice,sweet riceorwaxy rice) is a type ofricegrown mainly inSoutheast Asiaand the northeastern regions ofSouth Asia, which has opaque grains and very lowamylosecontent and is especially sticky when cooked. It is widely consumed across Asia.
It is called glutinous (Latin:glūtinōsus)in the sense of being glue-like or sticky, and not in the sense of containinggluten(which it does not). While often calledsticky rice, it differs from non-glutinous strains ofjaponica rice, which also become sticky to some degree when cooked. There are numerous cultivars of glutinous rice, which includejaponica,indicaandtropical japonicastrains.
The origin of glutinous rice is difficult to ascertain because of its long-standing cultural importance across a wide geographical region in Asia.
A 2002 genetic study discovered that the waxy mutation that disruptedamylosesynthesis likely has a single origin. This is supported by the fact that all glutinous riceaccessionsin the study contain the same mutation. From comparisons of subsequent mutations in the different accessions in the study, it was found that the progenitorhaplotypeis highest among Southeast Asian glutinous rice cultivars, indicating strongly that the waxy mutation first arose in Southeast Asia, likely in the upland regions ofMainland Southeast Asia, before spreading to the rest of Asia.
The waxy mutation is also known to have first arisen in temperatejaponica rice, where it is far more common, before spreading totropical japonica rice(javanica) andindicacultivars viagene flow.
Glutinous rice is cultivated in countries across Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, and East Asia, including Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Northeast India, China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Sri Lanka, and the Philippines. In Laos, it is estimated that 85% of the rice produced is glutinous rice.
As of 2013, the International Rice Genebank (IRGC) has preserved approximately 6,530 varieties of glutinous rice from five continents—Asia, South America, North America, Europe, and Africa. The International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has referred to Laos as a "collector's paradise" for its remarkable diversity of glutinous rice. IRRI-trained collectors have gathered over 13,500 samples and 3,200 distinct varieties from Laos alone, making it home to the largest known biodiversity of sticky rice in the world.
Glutinous rice is distinguished from other types of rice by having no (or negligible amounts of)amyloseand high amounts ofamylopectin(the two components ofstarch). Amylopectin is responsible for the sticky quality of glutinous rice. The difference has been traced to a single mutation that farmers selected.
Like all types of rice, glutinous rice does not contain dietarygluten(i.e. does not containgluteninandgliadin) and should be safe forgluten-free diets.
Glutinous rice can be consumed milled or unmilled (that is, with thebranremoved or not removed). Milled glutinous rice is white and fully opaque (unlike non-glutinous rice varieties, which are somewhat translucent when raw), whereas the bran can give unmilled glutinous rice a purple or black colour.Black and purple glutinous rice are distinct strains of white glutinous rice.  In developing Asia, there is little regulation, and some governments have issued advisories about toxicdyesbeing added to colour-adulteratedrice. Both black and white glutinous rice can be cooked as discrete grains or ground intoflourand cooked as a paste or gel.
Glutinous rice is used in a wide variety of traditional dishes in different countries. They include the following:
Especially in the eastern side (Chittagong, Cox's Bazaar, Sylhet areas) ofBangladesh, Glutinous rice is known as Binni chal (Bangla: বিন্নি চাল) or Binni choil (বিন্নি ছোইল) inChittagong, both meaning "husked sticky rice" in Bangla. Both white and pink varieties are cultivated at many homestead farms. Unhusked sticky rice is calledbinni dhan.  Boiled or steamedbinni chalis calledbinni bhat. Served with a curry of fish or meat,Binni Bhatis a popular breakfast. Sometimes, it is eaten with a splash of palm sugar or cane sugar, salt, and coconut shreds alone.Binni dhanis also used to makekhoi(popcorn-like puffed rice) andchida(bitten husked rice).
Many other sweet items, orPithamade ofbinni chalare also popular:
One pitha made ofbinni chalis "Atikka pitha". It is made with a mixture of cubed or small sliced coconut, white or brown sugar, (specifically datepalm sugar), ripe bananas, milk, andbinni chalwrapped in banana leaf and steamed. A similar dessert is enjoyed throughout Southeast Asian countries where it is known asKhao tom matin Thai,Num ansomin Khmer,Lepetin Indonesian, Suman in Filipino,Bánh tétandBánh chưngin Vietnamese, andKhao tomin Lao.
Another delicacy is called "Binni chaler patishapta pitha, which is sprayed over a hot pan and then adding a mixture of grated coconut,palm sugar, and sometimes milk powder in the center to make a roll.
One kind of rice porridge made ofbinni chalis calledModhu bhat, which literally means "honey rice". It is made by cooking water andbinni chalfor a long time, slightly blending it, and then topping it off with coconut shreds. This is also a delicacy known to theChittagongarea.
Glutinous rice is known asbay damnaeb(Khmer:បាយដំណើប) inKhmer.
InCambodian cuisine, glutinous rice is primarily used for dessertsand is an essential ingredient for most sweet dishes, such asansom chek,kralan, andnum ple aiy.
In theChinese language, glutinous rice is known asnuòmǐ(糯米) orchu̍t-bí(秫米) inHokkien.
Glutinous rice is also often ground to makeglutinous rice flour. This flour is made intoniangaoand sweet-filled dumplingstangyuan, both of which are commonly eaten atChinese New Year. It is also used as a thickener and for baking.
Glutinous rice or glutinous rice flour are both used in manyChinese bakery productsand in many varieties ofdim sum. They produce a flexible, resilient dough, which can take on the flavours of whatever other ingredients are added to it.  Cooking usually consists of steaming or boiling, sometimes followed by pan-frying or deep-frying.
Sweet glutinous rice is eaten with red bean paste.
Nuòmǐ fàn(糯米飯), is steamed glutinous rice usually cooked with Chinese sausage, chopped Chinese mushrooms, chopped barbecued pork, and optionally dried shrimp or scallop (the recipe varies depending on the cook's preference).
Zongzi(Traditional Chinese 糭子/糉子, Simplified Chinese 粽子) is a dumpling consisting of glutinous rice and sweet or savoury fillings wrapped in large flat leaves (usually bamboo), which is then boiled or steamed. It is especially eaten during theDragon Boat Festivalbut may be eaten at any time of the year. It is popular as an easily transported snack, or a meal to consume while travelling. It is a common food among Chinese in Hong Kong,  Singapore and Malaysia.
Cifangao (Traditional Chinese 糍飯糕, Simplified Chinese 糍饭糕) is a popular breakfast food originating in Eastern China consisting of cooked glutinous rice compressed into squares or rectangles, and then deep-fried.Additional seasoning and ingredients such as beans,zha cai, and sesame seeds may be added to the rice for added flavour. It has a similar appearance and external texture to hash browns.
Cifantuan(Traditional Chinese 糍飯糰, Simplified Chinese 糍饭团) is another breakfast food consisting of a piece ofyoutiaotightly wrapped in cooked glutinous rice, with or without additional seasoning ingredients. Japaneseonigiriresembles this Chinese food.
Lo mai gai(糯米雞) is adim sumdish consisting of glutinous rice with chicken in a lotus-leaf wrap, which is then steamed. It is served as a dim sum dish in Hong Kong, Singapore, and Malaysia.
Ba bao fan(八寶飯), or "eight treasure rice", is a dessert made from glutinous rice, steamed and mixed with lard, sugar, and eight kinds of fruits or nuts. It can also be eaten as the main course.
A distinctive feature of the cuisine of the Hakka people of Southern China is its variety of steamed snack-type buns, dumplings, andpattiesmade with a dough of coarsely ground rice, orban. Collectively known as "rice snacks", some kinds are filled with various salty or sweet ingredients.
Common examples of rice snacks made withbanfrom glutinous or sticky rice and non-glutinous riceincludeAiban(mugwort patty),Caibao(yam beanbun),Ziba(sticky rice balls) andBantiao(Mianpabanor flat rice noodles).
Aibanencompasses several varieties of steamed patties and dumplings of various shapes and sizes, consisting of an outer layer made of glutinousbandough filled with salty or sweet ingredients. It gets its name from the aromaticaigrass (mugwort), which after being dried, powdered, and mixed with theban, gives the dough a green colour and an intriguing tea-like taste. Typical salty fillings include ground pork, mushrooms, and shredded white turnips. The most common sweet filling is made with red beans.
Caibaois a generic term for all types of steamed buns with various sorts of filling. Hakka-stylecaibaoare distinctive in that the enclosing skin is made with glutinous rice dough in place of wheat flour dough. Besides ground pork, mushrooms, and shredded turnips, fillings may include ingredients such as dried shrimp and dry fried-shallot flakes.
Zibais glutinous rice dough that, after steaming in a big container, is mashed into a sticky, putty-like mass from which small patties are formed. After that, it is to be place in a dry place to dry. When ready to eat, it is commonly be fried, boiled or grilled. Then, it is usually coated with a layer of Chinese brown sugar syrup with sugary peanut or soybean powder. It has no filling.
Glutinous rice is known asberas ketanor simplyketaninJavaand most of Indonesia, andpulutinSumatra. It is widely used as an ingredient for a wide variety of sweet, savoury, or fermented snacks. Glutinous rice is used as either hulled grains or milled into flour. It is usually mixed withsantan, meaning coconut milk in Indonesian, along with a bit of salt to add some taste. Glutinous rice is rarely eaten as a staple. One example islemang, which is glutinous rice and coconut milk cooked in bamboo stems lined by banana leaves. Glutinous rice is also sometimes used in a mix with normal rice in rice dishes such asnasi tumpengornasi tim. It is widely used during theLebaranseasons as traditional food. It is also used in the production of alcoholic beverages such astuakandbrem bali.
In addition, glutinous rice dishes adapted from other cultures are just as easily available. Examples includekue moci(mochi, Japanese) andbacang(zongzi, Chinese).
In Japan, glutinous rice is known asmochigome(Japanese:もち米). It is used in traditional dishes such assekihanalso known as Red bean rice,okowa, andohagi. It may also be ground intomochiko(もち粉), arice flour, used to makemochi(もち), a kind of sweet rice cake. Mochi is traditionally prepared for theJapanese New Year, but can also be eaten year-round. Many different types of mochi exist from different regions, and they are normally flavoured with traditional ingredients such as red beans, water chestnuts, green tea, and pickled cherry flowers. See alsoJapanese rice.
InKorea, glutinous rice is calledchapssal(Korean:찹쌀), and its characteristic stickiness is calledchalgi(찰기). Cooked rice made of glutinous rice is calledchalbap(찰밥) and rice cakes (떡;ddeok) are calledchalddeokorchapssalddeok(찰떡; 찹쌀떡).Chalbapis used as stuffing insamgyetang(삼계탕).
Along the Greater Mekong Sub-region, the Lao have been cultivating glutinous rice for approximately 4000 – 6000 years.Glutinous rice is the national dish ofLaos.In Laos, a tiny landlocked nation with a population of approximately 6 million, per-capita sticky rice consumption is the highest on earth at 171 kg or 377 pounds per year.Sticky rice is deeply ingrained in the culture, religious tradition, and national identity of Laos (seeLao cuisine). Sticky rice is considered the essence of what it means to be Lao. It has been said that no matter where they are in the world, sticky rice will always be the glue that holds the Lao communities together, connecting them to their culture and toLaos.Lao people often identify themselves as the "children of sticky rice"and if they did not eat sticky rice, they would not be Lao.
Sticky rice is known askhao niao(Lao:ເຂົ້າໜຽວ):khaomeans rice, andniaomeans sticky. It is cooked by soaking for several hours and then steaming in abamboobasket orhouat(Lao: ຫວດ). After that, it should be turned out on a clean surface and kneaded with a wooden paddle to release the steam; this results in rice balls that will stick to themselves but not to fingers. The large rice ball is kept in a small basket made ofbambooorthip khao(Lao:ຕິບເຂົ້າ). The rice is sticky but dry, rather than wet and gummy-like non-glutinous varieties. Laotians consume glutinous rice as part of their main diet; they also use toasted glutinous ricekhao khoua(Lao:ເຂົ້າຄົ່ວ) to add a nut-like flavour to many dishes.  A popular Lao meal is a combination oflarb(Lao:ລາບ), Lao grilled chickenping gai(Lao:ປີ້ງໄກ່), spicy greenpapaya saladdish known astam mak hoong(Lao:ຕຳໝາກຫູ່ງ), and sticky rice (khao niao).
Khao niao is also used as an ingredient indesserts. Khao niao mixed withcoconutmilk can be served with ripenedmangoordurian.
InMalaysia,  glutinous rice is known aspulut. It is usually mixed withsantan (coconut milk)along with a bit of salt to add some taste. It is widely used during theRaya festiveseasons as traditional food which is shared with certain parts of Indonesia, such as:
Glutinous rice, calledkao hnyin(ကောက်ညှင်း), is very popular inMyanmar(also known as Burma).
InNepal, Latte/Chamre is a popular dish made from glutinous rice duringTeejfestival, the greatest festival of Nepalese women.
Sticky rice calledbora saulis the core component of indigenous Assamese sweets, snacks, and breakfast. This rice is widely used in the traditional sweets of Assam, which are very different from the traditional sweets of India whose basic component is milk.
Such traditional sweets inAssamare Pitha (Narikolor pitha, Til pitha, Ghila pitha, Tel pitha, Keteli pitha, Sunga pitha, Sunga saul etc.).  Also, its powder form is used as breakfast or other light meals directly with milk. They are called Pitha guri (if the powder was done without frying the rice, by just crushing it after soaking) or Handoh guri (if rice is dry fried first, and then crushed).
The soaked rice is also cooked with no added water inside a special kind of bamboo (calledsunga saul bnaah). This meal is calledsunga saul.
During religious ceremonies, indigenous Assamese communities makeMithoi(Kesa mithoiandPoka mithoi) usingGnudwith it. SometimesBhog,Payokhare also made from it using milk and sugar with it.
Different indigenous Assamese communities make rice beer from sticky rice, preferring it over other varieties of rice for the sweeter and more alcoholic result. This rice beer is also offered to their gods and ancestors. Rice cooked with it is also taken directly as lunch or dinner on rare occasions.
Similarly, other indigenous communities from NE India use sticky rice in various forms similar to the native Assamese style in their cuisine.
In thePhilippines, glutinous rice is known asmalagkitinTagalogorpilitinVisayan, among other names such asdiketinIlocano. Both mean "sticky". The most common way glutinous rice is prepared in the Philippines is by soaking uncooked glutinous rice in water orcoconut milk(usually overnight) and then grinding it into a thick paste (traditionally with stone mills). This produces a rich and smooth viscous rice dough known asgalapóng, which is the basis for numerous rice cakes in the Philippines. However, in modern preparation methods,galapongis sometimes made directly from dry glutinousrice flour(or from commercial Japanesemochiko), with poorer-quality results.
Galapongwas traditionally allowed toferment, which is still required for certain dishes. A small amount ofstarter cultureof microorganisms (tapayorbubod) orpalm wine(tubâ) may be traditionally added to rice being soaked to hasten the fermentation. These can be substituted withyeastorbaking sodain modern versions.Other versions ofgalapongmay also be treated with wood ashlye.
Aside from the numerous white and red glutinous rice cultivars, the most widely used glutinous riceheirloom cultivarsin the Philippines aretapolrice, which is milky white in colour, andpirurutongrice, which ranges in colour from black to purple to reddish brown.However both varieties are expensive and becoming increasingly rare, thus some Filipino recipes nowadays substitute it with dyed regular glutinous rice or infusepurple yam(ube) to achieve the same colouration.
Dessert delicacies in the Philippines are known askakanin(fromkanin, "prepared rice"). These were originally made primarily from rice, but in recent centuries, the term has come to encompass dishes made from other types of flour, includingcorn flour(masa),cassava,wheat, and so on.  Glutinous rice figures prominently in two main subtypes ofkakanin: theputo(steamedrice cakes), and thebibingka(bakedrice cakes). Both largely utilize glutinous ricegalapong. A notable variant ofputoisputo bumbong, which is made withpirurutong.
Otherkakaninthat use glutinous rice includesuman,biko, andsapin-sapinamong others. There is also a special class of boiledgalapongdishes likepalitaw,moche,mache, andmasi. Friedgalapongis also used to make various types ofbuchi, which are the localChinese-Filipinoversions ofjian dui. They are also used to makepuso, which are boiled rice cakes in woven leaf pouches.
Aside fromkakanin, glutinous rice is also used in traditional Filipino ricegruelsorporridgesknown aslugaw. They include both savory versions likearroz caldoorgotowhich are similar to Chinese-stylecongee; and dessert versions likechamporado,binignit, andginataang mais.
InThailand, glutinous rice is known askhao niao(Thai:ข้าวเหนียว; lit. 'sticky rice') incentral ThailandandIsan, and askhao nueng(Thai:ข้าวนึ่ง; lit. 'steamed rice') innorthern Thailand.Sticky rice at the table is typically served individually in a small woven basket  (Thai:กระติบข้าว,RTGS:kratip khao).
Glutinous rice is calledgạo nếpin Vietnamese. The term for the cooked rice is calledxôi. Dishes made from glutinous rice in Vietnam are typically served as desserts or side dishes, but some can be served as main dishes. There is a wide array of glutinous rice dishes in Vietnamese cuisine, the majority of them can be categorized as follows:
Glutinous rice can also be fermented to make Vietnamese alcoholic beverages, such asrượu nếp,rượu cầnandrượu đế.
In construction, glutinous rice is a component ofsticky rice mortarfor use in masonry. Chemical tests have confirmed that this is true for theGreat Wall of Chinaand thecity walls of Xi'an.InAssamalso, this rice was used for building palaces duringAhomrule.
Glutinous rice starch may also be used to createwheatpaste, an adhesive material.
InVietnam, glutinous rice is made into flour and used to makeTo he, a figurine.