The Best Pandan Sticky Rice (Xoi La Dua)
The best pandan sticky rice or Xoi La Dua made with fresh pandan leaves, pandan extract, and sweetened coconut milk.
Servings: 2 people
Calories: 512kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
Pandan Sticky Rice
- 12 pandan leaves
- 1 cup water
- ⅛ tsp pandan extract
- 1 cup glutinous rice
- ¼ cup coconut milk
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp shredded coconut optional
Toppings
- 1 tbsp sesame seeds
- ½ tsp granulated sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp shredded coconut optional
Instructions
- Add 12 pandan leaves and 1 cup of water to a blender. Blend until a smooth consistency. Strain the pandan juice with a fine mesh sieve into a bowl.
- Add ⅛ tsp of pandan extract to the bowl and mix.
- Rinse 1 cup of glutinous rice until the water runs clear (4-5 times). Add the rice to the bowl with the pandan juice. Let the rice soak for 4 hours or overnight. If at any point, the rice starts to look too dry, add more water. Place the bowl in the fridge if soaking overnight.
- Prep your steamer by bringing water to a simmer and adding the steamer insert. Place a sheet of parchment paper on top of the steamer insert. I like to poke holes in the parchment paper to help the steam come through.
- Drain the rice and pour onto the steamer insert. Cover and steam for 40 minutes. Taste the sticky rice for doneness. If the rice is undercooked, continue cooking for a few more minutes before testing again.
- While the rice is steaming, make your coconut sauce. Combine ¼ cup of coconut milk, 2 tbsp of granulated sugar, and ¼ tsp of salt. Cook over medium heat until the sugar melts and remove from the heat.
- Once the rice is done steaming, pour the coconut sauce over the top with 1 tbsp of shredded coconut (optional). Mix until all the rice is coated in the sauce. Let it sit for 10 minutes to absorb.
- Lastly, make your sesame seed topping. Toast 1 tbsp of sesame seeds and grind in a mortar and pestle. I like to use the back of a spoon or knife. Add ½ tsp of granulated sugar and 1 pinch of salt and mix.
- Now it's time to serve your sticky rice! Spoon the sticky rice into a bowl. Top with sesame seed topping and 1 tbsp of shredded coconut (optional).
Notes
- Feel free to adjust the amount of pandan leaves and pandan extract to adjust the pandan flavor to your tastes.
- You can also choose to leave out the pandan extract or use only pandan extract for this recipe. If using only pandan extract, use at least 1/2 tsp of extract.
- Use more or less sugar to adjust the sweetness to your tastes.
- Store pandan sticky rice at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If your home is too hot, store in the fridge, and then reheat the sticky rice for 10-20 seconds to get it up to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition
Serving: 0.5cup | Calories: 512kcal | Carbohydrates: 94g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 346mg | Potassium: 178mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 0.4IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 73mg | Iron: 4mg