Bamboo-tube sticky rice

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, soak for 4–6 hours, then drain well.

2. Mix the drained rice with the coconut milk, 240 ml water and salt.

3. Line clean food-safe bamboo tubes with banana leaf and divide both rice and liquid among them, filling only about three-quarters to leave expansion room. Do not use open foil rolls to contain this liquid mixture.

4. Plug the tubes with banana leaf and cook over moderate charcoal for 60–90 minutes, rotating regularly. Check one tube: the rice must be tender through the centre without a hard core; continue cooking if needed.

5. Let the tubes cool a little, then split or peel them open and slice the rice.

6. Pound the salted peanuts with the toasted sesame into a dry dip and serve it with the warm rice.

Tips

• Leave headroom in each tube because the rice swells as it cooks.
• Soak for the full time so the rice cooks through inside the tube.

Substitutions

• Bamboo tubes and banana leaves are required; there is no foil or oven alternative here. Only the rice and sesame-peanut dip are made, with no chicken or marinade.

Storage

Best served warm. Cool, wrap tightly and refrigerate for up to 2 days; re-steam or grill to soften.

• 568 kcalEnergy
• 11.1 gProtein
• 86.4 gCarbohydrate
• 20.2 gFat
• 4.1 gFibre
• 541 mgSodium

An estimate for reference only, not medical advice.