Glutinous - Sweet and sticky

5:46 PM |

Glutinous rice, also known as sticky rice, sweet rice or pearl rice, is a form of short-grain rice that has a higher starch content than the medium- or long-grain rice. the husk, bran and germ of the rice grain are removed to produce this sticky white rice that is a staple food in many Asian countries. Glutinous rice is relatively healthy, having an extremely low fat content, but it doesn't offer the nutritive value of brown or wild rice.

There are two types of glutinous rice, white and black.

White Glutinous rice
Brand: Pagoda brand
Price $1.20/400g
Where can it be found: Local supermarkets

Black glutinous rice
Bransd: Pagoda Brand
Rice: $2.50/400g

So what is the difference between white and black glutinous rice?

White glutinous rice is milled rice, while black glutinous rice has the bran which gives it the color.

What are the benefits of eating glutinous rice?

As glutinous rice is very sticky, it has a high amount of amylose which means it can be digested very quickly and in another words, we can get hungry easily as well.

Despite that, black glutinous rice has a lot of benefits as the bran of sticky black rice is not removed, it is not considered a refined grain, like its sticky white counterpart.

The dark color of black glutinous rice means it is rich in anthocyanins, which are natural antioxidants. Anthocyanins have anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic effects. In the animal and human studies conducted, anthocyanins were also shown to help prevent heart disease, control obesity and alleviate the symptoms of diabetes.

Glutinous rice is often used in sweet and savory dishes.

Here is an example of a dish that uses white glutinous rice

Loh Mai Kai - Steamed Glutinous Rice with Chicken

Loh mai kai @ Jade Pot Dim Sum & Steamboat Restaurant, Old Klang Road by Li Tsin Soon at https://www.flickr.com/photos/polytikus/5478667230 CC

Note how the stickiness of the glutinous rice enables to maintain the shape that it is formed out to be.

Here is an example of a dessert that uses black glutinous rice.

Pulut hitam.