I heard this one in school today...How do they (meaning Asians)eat rice with chopsticks?

Question

I said that the rice eaten in Asia is much stickier than the rice we eat in the USA. But what makes it so sticky and why can't I get some here? Is it more nutritious? Any other info? Thanks!!

Answer 1

It's different rice altogether. You can buy them in Asian stores. Both Japanese or Korean rice (very similar) are sticky. Chinese and other south Asian rice are less sticky. (but more sticky than Uncle Ben type rice)

It's not how they are cooked. It's the rice itself.

By the way, it is possible to eat any rice with chopsticks.... You either pick them up as clumps or sort of scope them up by paralleling your chopsticks. (hard to explain in words)

Is it nutritious? Yes, compared to fast cook types. But they are a lot more starchy. Not good if you are diabetic or watching carb intakes.

Answer 2

Ellie ... It's just a matter of preference. If the rice you've made/seen is not sticking together a bit, it may be that kind of "converted" rice. Also, the way you cook it can affect the amount of cohesion between the rice grains. Adding the right amount of water has a great impact.

Lastly, rinsing the rice too, too much can wash away much of the starch and this would affect the amount of stickiness too. Yes, it's mostly the starch that helps to make the grains stick together.

Answer 3

We like 'fluffy' rice here whereas the Asians like theirs sticky.
It's partially the rice itself and partially the way it's cooked.
Any white rice (including the Asian sticky) isn't more nutricious.
What makes rice more nutritious is NOT peeling it - as in brown rice. Brown rice, however, is naturally less sticky than white rice.
If you learn how to hold your chopsticks right, they form an almost parallel 'ladle' on which you scoop up the rice.
The rice isn't picked up bit by bit but rather scooped up.
Try a Japanese fast food restaurant and ask for chopsticks instead of fork, that way you can practice.

Answer 4

Our rice is usually considered as the Minute rich..which is really a produced rice. Regular rice is actually sticky and requires more cooking, like beans or something dried like that. The same reason sushi sticks together.. So its not eating littleg rains as much as little balls of rice

Answer 5

The rice can self-adhere in a glob, either because of its own starch or the sauce on the rest of the food. The chopsticks are held about a quarter inch apart, and the rice glob rides on top.

Answer 6

For the most part, rice isn't picked up but is rather pushed into the mouth. And yes, Asian rice tends to be stickier. More gluten.

Answer 7

Yeah there is.. a white guy with an Asian wife fumbling with chopsticks and sticky rice. Well, at least she gets a good laugh out of it. sigh.

Answer 8

Trust me, you don't want to know what makes it more sticky...nah, it is all in how you prepare it. If you do it properly, the rice comes out sticky. Of course, having the right rice helps too.

Answer 9

You can make sticky rice yourself. Sushi rice (short grained) is naturally sticky. Just make sure to rinse it before you cook it, and find cooking instructions. I doubt it's any more nutritious.

Answer 10

their rice has much more starch in it and that is what makes it more sticky. When they eat rice with chop sticks, they actually scoop it out of the bowl, more like using a spoon. We scoop our rice bowl the same way but our rice is much looser due to less starch. Happy eating. :)