Khao Lam (Thai Sticky Rice in Bamboo)
Sweet sticky rice infused with coconut milk and cooked inside a bamboo tube over charcoal or an open flame. A beloved Thai street dessert with a naturally creamy, fragrant texture that requires no oven.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 4
- Calories
- 285
- Protein
- 3g
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups sticky rice (glutinous rice)
- 1 can (13.5 oz) coconut milk (full-fat, canned)
- ½ cup palm sugar (or brown sugar)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 4 pieces bamboo segments (4–5 inches long, freshly cut or canned)
- 1.5 cups water
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the sticky rice under cold running water in a fine-mesh strainer, stirring gently with your fingers, until the water running through is nearly clear, about 90 seconds. This removes excess starch so the rice cooks evenly.
- 2
Pour the rinsed rice into a bowl and add 1.5 cups of water, then stir once and let sit for 30 minutes so the rice absorbs water before cooking.
- 3
While rice soaks, open the can of coconut milk and pour the entire contents (thick part and liquid) into a small saucepan.
- 4
Add 0.5 cup of palm sugar and 0.5 teaspoon of salt to the coconut milk, then stir constantly over medium heat until the sugar dissolves completely and the mixture is uniform, about 2 minutes.
- 5
Remove the saucepan from heat and set the coconut-sugar mixture aside to cool for 5 minutes.
- 6
Drain the soaked rice in a fine-mesh strainer, letting all excess water drip through, then divide the drained rice evenly among the 4 bamboo segments, filling each about two-thirds full.
- 7
Pour the cooled coconut-sugar mixture evenly into each bamboo segment, dividing it so each piece gets about the same amount; the liquid should reach just below the top of the rice.
- 8
Cover the top of each bamboo segment with a small piece of aluminum foil crimped loosely around the edges, leaving a tiny vent for steam to escape.
- 9
Place the 4 foil-topped bamboo segments standing upright in a large pot filled with 2 inches of water (the water should come halfway up the sides of the segments). Cover the pot with its lid.
- 10
Bring the water to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to medium and maintain a gentle, steady boil for 30 minutes, adding more water if needed so it never dips below the halfway mark.
- 11
Remove the bamboo segments from the pot using tongs and set them on a cutting board or serving platter to cool for 5 minutes.
- 12
Carefully peel away the foil from the top of each bamboo segment and slide the cooked khao lam (the rice mixture will have set into a cohesive cake) out onto a plate using a fork or small spoon.
- 13
Serve each portion warm or at room temperature. The rice should be creamy, fragrant, and slightly sticky inside, with a subtle char from the bamboo.
Tools you’ll need
- fine-mesh strainer
- medium bowl
- small saucepan
- wooden spoon or heat-resistant spatula
- 4 fresh or canned bamboo segments (4–5 inches long)
- aluminum foil
- large pot with lid
- kitchen tongs
- cutting board or serving plates
- fork or small spoon
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