Practical Guide to Cooking Rice in a Steamer Basket (and what to buy)

Are you wanting to get a rice cooker steamer basket to make sticky rice? I'm going to show you what type of rice cooker steamer basket to get as well as the rice basket to store it in after it's been cooked.

Sticky rice is an authentic Lao and Thai staple that anyone can make at home. You just need to know how to use the right equipment, a rice steamer with a pot and a basket.

Cooking sticky rice in a bamboo steamer basket provides a natural way to cook rice without losing flavor, nutrients, shape, and color.

Table of Contents

The Best Rice Cooker Steamer Baskets, Pots, and Serving Containers

Bamboo Basket

In order to make sticky rice at home, you are going to need to look for a steamer basket made of bamboo. The steamer basket will looks like a funnel. You'll want to make sure that the steamer basket has natural reeds to ensure that the rice doesn't stick around the sides of the basket. Here's one that is under $20.

Aluminum Rice Steaming Pot

This pot will allow the bamboo basket to fit snug on top of the pot. The water will boil in this pot right underneath the basket, allowing the water vapors to steam the sticky rice on top. Here's the link to both the steamer pot and the basket that I recommend.

Sticky Rice

Sticky rice is NOT the same as jasmine rice nor white rice. Sticky rice is a glutinous rice that gets its name from being "sticky" when cooked. This is my favorite brand to purchase and you'll find it at most Asian local supermarkets.

Teflon Cooking Sheet

When you take the rice out after steaming, you'll need to knead the rice in order to allow the rice to expand after steaming. You should knead the rice on a teflon cooking sheet which will allow the rice not to stick to the cooking sheet.

Sticky Rice Basket Serving Basket

In most Thai and Lao homes as well as restaurants, sticky rice is served in small, round baskets that are also handwoven and made of bamboo. This allows the rice to be kept fresh and warm. There are different sizes of sticky rice serving baskets, so make sure you choose one that is best for the size of your family. Generally, if you are feeding a family, a large basket is shared in the middle of the table where everyone grabs a handful of rice for their plates. Smaller baskets are used for single serving for those that don't want to share baskets.

Frequently Asked Questions About Rice Steamer Baskets

Can you steam rice in a steamer basket?

Sticky rice is often the rice that is steamed in a basket. Sticky rice is the type of rice that you find at most Thai restaurants.

Why Is Bamboo used to steam rice?

The natural fibers in bamboo allow the sticky rice to be not stick to the rice while steaming.

Can you microwave a rice steamer with a basket?

There are a few microwave rice cooker sets, but these are specifically designed to cook white rice and brown rice, not glutinous rice.

Can you make sticky rice in the Instant Pot or pressure cooker?

Sticky rice can be made in the Instant Pot, but it still needs to be soaked in water for 4 to 10 hours prior to using the pressure cooker. A pressure cooker approved coriander can be used to hold the rice, but the rice should NOT touch the water below it. The rice will need to be pressure cooked for 12 minutes.

Why did my sticky rice turn out wet, mushy, and undercooked?

This generally only happens using a pressure cooker. The water and rice ratio is really important when using a pressure cooker to make sticky rice, especially if you decide to use a bowl to hold liquid and then allow it to sit in water. In this method, you use 1 cup of sticky rice and ⅔ cup of tap water for the ratio.

The traditional way of making sticky rice will always produce the right texture for sticky rice.

Where Can you get sticky rice steamer baskets?

You can often buy this at your local Asian supermarket that carries Vietnamese, Thai, and Lao foods. You can also find them on Amazon, I've linked the products that I absolutely love!

[mv_create key="1" thumbnail="https://cookingwithlane.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/sticky-rice-basket-bamboo.png" title="Lao Sticky Rice (Khao Neow)" type="recipe"]

Recipe for Sticky Rice

This is my favorite recipe for making sticky rice.

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Summary

To make the perfect, delicious sticky rice that you find in most Thai restaurants, you'll need to make sure you have the right kitchen supplies at home!

More Sticky Thai Recipes That You’ll Love

If you love this choosing a sticky rice pot and basket as much as our family does, see below for some other recipes. Please write a five star review and help me share on Facebook and Pinterest!