Thai Lao Black Sticky Rice

Thai Lao Black Sticky Rice is also known as "Khao Gum". Some people call it "purple sticky rice" or "wild sticky rice". Black sticky rice is usually made into dessert or eaten as a main meal. You can also use black sticky rice to make Khao Dome which is coconut sticky rice wrapped in banana leaf.

Make sure, when purchasing black sticky rice, that the label reads "Glutinous" and that it is a product of Thailand. The method of cooking black sticky rice and white sticky rice is the same...by using a bamboo steaming basket and steaming pot. Black sticky rice will stain the bamboo basket and your hands. Do not wash the bamboo basket with soap. The stain will naturally fade over time.

Instructions on how to cook Black Sticky Rice:
Mix black sticky rice with white sticky rice. For one cup of black sticky rice, add two cups of white sticky rice. Soak over night. Steam for 40 minutes.

I have posted Khao Sung Ga Ya which is black sticky rice with coconut custard dessert.

Thai Chicken Curry with Long Beans and Bamboo

Curry dishes are best serve with Khao Chow (jasmine rice) rather than sticky rice.

I like this dish served with sin khao bune (rice noodle) to make a hot noodle salad: into a bowl, add sin khao bune and spoon the chicken curry over top; add extra chopped Thai basil, cilantro, green onions, and bean sprouts.

Stir Fry Recipe: Thai Chicken Curry with Long Beans and Bamboo
1 tablespoon chopped garlic
1 tablespoon oil
¼ cup chopped bamboo shoots
¼ cup chopped long beans
¼ cup chopped tomatoes
1 cup chopped chicken
½ cup fresh coconut milk
1 tablespoon red Thai Lao Curry Paste
1 to 2 sprigs of chopped Thai basil
2 tablespoons fish sauce

Boil chopped bamboo shoots for 30 minutes to remove yellow colouring. Drain water from bamboo and set bamboo aside. In a wok over high heat, add oil and garlic. Stir until garlic is crisp. Add chicken and stir until cooked. Add tomatoes and stir for one minute. Add fresh coconut milk, bamboo, long beans and curry paste. Stir for 2 minutes. Turn heat off. Add fish sauce and Thai sprigs. Stir again and serve immediately.

Fresh Peanuts

I love snacking on fresh peanuts. I serve peanuts as an appetizer. Raw or fresh peanuts are not common and not many Asian supermarkets carry them. Raw peanuts are smaller and taste sweeter than peanuts used for roasting. The reason is because the peanuts are harvested about two months earlier than peanuts for roasting. Fresh peanuts taste like sweet corn.

Instructions on cooking Fresh Peanuts:
Wash the peanuts in cold water and drain. Add two inches of water and one tablespoon of salt in a large pot and bring to boil. Add the peanuts and cook for 30 minutes. Remove peanuts and allow to cool before eating.

Sticky Rice & Mango Dessert

A great way to use up left over sticky rice is to make the Sticky Rice & Mango dessert.

Dessert Recipe: Sticky Rice & Mango
1 cup fresh coconut milk
1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar
3 cups cooked sticky rice
1 ripe mango

In a pot, over medium heat, add coconut and sugar. Stir until sugar dissolves. Add sticky rice and stir until fresh coconut milk absorbs into sticky rice. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Remove skin of mango, cut into bit size pieces and discard the mango pit. Dish sticky rice on to a serving bowl or plate. Add mango slices over rice and serve.

I like to add left over black bean coconut drink to cook with the sticky rice. It gives the rice a nice purple colour and the beans add texture and protein to the dessert.

Sweet Tamarind & Seeds

I love sweet tamarind and toasted tamarind seeds. My dad eats sweet tamarind with sticky rice as an appetizer and dessert but I like tamarind plain.

Sweet Tamarind may be purchased at Asian supermarkets. Take one tamarind pod and break the shell. Remove the shell and the strings. Eat the tamarind pulp but do not eat the tamarind seeds yet. Place the tamarind seeds in a pan over medium heat. Shake the seeds occasionally while toasting the seeds for five minutes. Once the seeds cool, crack the outer shell using your teeth and remove the outer shell with your hands. You must first toast the seeds or the shell will be difficult to crack. Do not eat the shell but carefully chew on the hard tamarind seed.