What to Make with Sticky Rice?
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I eat sticky rice almost every day, so I’ve learned there’s never any reason to waste it. Here in Northeastern Thailand, it’s part of almost every meal, and leftover sticky rice usually becomes tomorrow’s breakfast or snack. Here are some of my favorite sticky rice recipes, along with a few of the ways we use leftover sticky rice at home.
Traditional Thai sticky rice recipes
Mango sticky rice
Mango sticky rice is Thailand’s most famous dessert. Fresh sticky rice is mixed with sweetened coconut milk and served with ripe mango and extra coconut sauce poured over the top.
This dessert is traditionally made with freshly steamed sticky rice because it absorbs the coconut sauce while it’s still warm. If you only have leftover sticky rice, don’t worry. Steam it for a few minutes first to soften it before mixing in the coconut sauce. It’ll never be quite the same as freshly steamed rice, but it’s still delicious.
Pandan sticky rice
Pandan sticky rice is simply sticky rice steamed with pandan leaves. The leaves give the rice a gentle fragrance and a natural green color without any artificial coloring.
It’s commonly served alongside savory Thai dishes like grilled meats or curries. Since the pandan flavor develops while the rice steams, this recipe starts with uncooked sticky rice.
Khao tom mud
Khao tom mud is a traditional Thai dessert made by wrapping sticky rice, banana, and coconut milk in banana leaves before steaming everything together.
The recipe on my blog comes from my grandmother, who sold khao tom mud at local markets in Thailand for many years. Because everything cooks together inside the banana leaves, you’ll need uncooked sticky rice for this one.
Sweet sticky rice with Thai custard
If you’ve never tried sticky rice with Thai custard, you’re missing one of my favorite Thai desserts. The custard is soft, slightly sweet, and scented with pandan, making it perfect with coconut sticky rice.
My recipe uses both white and black glutinous rice, which gives the dessert a little more texture and a beautiful color once it’s steamed and mixed with coconut milk.
Purple sticky rice
Purple sticky rice is made with black glutinous rice, which turns a deep purple color as it cooks. It has a slightly chewier texture and a nuttier flavor than regular white sticky rice.
It’s delicious served with coconut milk and fresh fruit, but I also love eating it with meat. Like most sticky rice recipes, it begins with uncooked glutinous rice.
Khao lam
Khao lam is sticky rice cooked with coconut milk and beans inside bamboo over a charcoal fire. As it cooks, the bamboo gives the rice a subtle smoky flavor.
Most of you don’t have bamboo growing in the backyard, so my recipe uses coconut shells instead. It still gives you that fun presentation and traditional flavor without needing bamboo.
What to do with leftover sticky rice?
Make khao jee (sticky rice with egg)
If I have leftover sticky rice, this is what I love to make. Khao jee is a popular breakfast in Laos and Northeastern Thailand, made by shaping sticky rice into patties, dipping them in beaten egg, and grilling until crisp on the outside.
Leftover sticky rice is actually better for khao jee because it firms up overnight, making it much easier to shape before grilling.
Make khao taen (crispy rice cakes)
Khao taen was traditionally made as a way to use up leftover sticky rice instead of letting it go to waste.
The cooked rice is pressed into thin rounds, dried, then deep-fried until crisp before being coated with a sweet palm sugar glaze.
Reheat it in a steamer
The biggest mistake people make is reheating sticky rice in the microwave. It often becomes dry around the edges and hard in the middle.
Instead, steam it for about 10 minutes. The steam softens the grains, making the sticky rice soft and chewy again.
Freeze it
If you know you won’t finish your sticky rice within 2-3 days, freeze it while it’s still fresh. Divide it into individual portions and wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap or transfer it to freezer-safe bags or containers. That way, you can reheat only what you need.
When you’re ready to eat it, there’s no need to thaw it first. Simply steam the frozen sticky rice for 10-15 minutes until it’s hot and soft again.
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What’s your favorite way to eat sticky rice? Let me know in the comments!