Nyob Zoo All!
I wanted to share with you a fun experiment I just recently did using purple cabbage, purple corn husk, and purple sweet potato powder to make purple sticky rice. The most common way to make purple sticky rice is by using a little bit of black rice to color the white sticky rice to give it that nice purple hue to it. But I’d thought to share with you other ingredients you can utilize to actually make different shades of purple. So I hope you enjoy and hopefully give it a try. Happy cooking.
-Let’s talk STICKY RICE first-
Rice comes in all shapes, sizes, color, and variety. In terms of sticky rice or also known as SWEET RICE, there are a variety that consist of Short grain sweet rice, Long grain sweet rice, and Short grain black rice. You can also find short and or long grain brown sticky rice as well.
VARIETY: Short grain vs Long grain sweet rice
Short grain sticky rice: Mostly labeled as “sweet rice”. Best used for desserts such as mochi, pudding, cakes, etc.
Doesn’t have a distinct scent compared to long grain sticky rice. Short grain sticky rice is commonly used all over Asia. Mostly in Japan, Korea, China, and other Asian Countries. SouthEast Asian consume more long grain sticky rice compared to short grain. Short grain sticky rice is very flexible and versatile when used for cooking. It does have some notes of sweetness to it and a little bit more of a firmer/ mochi texture.
Short grain sticky rice brands I like to use are Apple and or Koda Farms sho-chiku-bai sweet rice. Both these brands work great interchangeably.
Long grain sticky rice:
Also labeled as “sweet rice”. How can you tell if it’s long grain vs short grain? Most long grain sticky rice are produced from Thailand since it’s commonly used in Southeast Asia. This rabbit brand is the one we like to use. Long grain sticky rice has a unique jasmine like scent to it. You’ll probably had it in most Thai restaurant. Great with grilled meat, papaya salad, and for mango sticky rice since it has that unique scent to it.
TIPS: I don’t recommend using this version for pudding or mochi. Cooking process is the same as short grain rice. Don’t steam it too long or else it gets mushy. Don’t soak more than 10 hrs. I recommend a 4-6hr soaking or else the rice will be too soft when steaming.
Black rice
Black rice is found in most Asian grocery market. This is one that you can buy in most Asian markets. We like using this one due to the color it releases as it soaks. It also retains a good texture as it soaks overnight. This black rice will bring a rich and dark purple color when mixed in with the white sticky rice. Black rice is what makes the white rice purple. The color of the shell bleeds onto the white rice and that’s what makes it have that vibrant purple color.
INFO/TIPS: There are short grain and long grain black rice. Short grain black rice can be soak for up to 12 hrs. Long grain black rice is best soaked for only 4 hrs or else they open up while cooking and become mushy. I don’t recommend steaming black rice as is since it’s quite a hard grain. It needs to be mixed in with white sticky rice.
I like to measure my rice with the “rice cup” that comes with my rice cooker. This rice cup is equivalent to 3/4 US cups. 
SOAKING: WHY?
Sticky rice should always be soaked so you can release the excess starch and to provide moisture into the internal kernel of the rice. That way you can cook it evenly, thoroughly, and properly. If you don’t soak it, there will be no moisture to help cook the rice thoroughly when steaming it.
TIPS: If you’re soaking short grain sticky rice in HOT boiling water, soak it for 2 hrs will do or up to 4-6 hrs. Long grain is best soaked for about 2-3 hrs in HOT boiling water. If you’re using room temp water, short grain and long grain can soak overnight (6-8hrs). If you’re using warm water for both grains of rice, 4-6hrs up to 8 hrs is fine.
What other ingredient(s) can you use to make purple sticky rice instead of using black rice?
Purple sweet potato powder, purple corn husk, and purple cabbage. These are great ingredients to use. Will these ingredients give the rice flavor? The answer is NO. They won’t effect the overall flavor of the sticky rice. It’s all just for the color. The only one that may give the rice a little flavor and smell is the purple cabbage. But once the rice is steamed, the cabbage smell does fade.
Using black rice
Depending how much black rice you use, the shade of purple will depend. Black rice will most likely be the best one to use if you want a very deep purple color. You can simply grind the purple sticky rice in a spice grinder and add it into the white rice with some water to soak for a few hrs or you can boil the black rice (whole) in the water and pour it over the white rice. Boiling the black rice will create a much darker purple sticky rice. The good thing about black rice is it’s widely available at any Asian grocery stores.
The method I’m using is boiling the black rice in water and pouring it over the white rice. This well enhance the purple color. 
After soaking for 4 hours
What it looks like when it’s done steaming.
Using purple corn husk:
Purple corn husk may be a little harder to find but it’s an option for those that do plant purple corn or have access to it. It creates a much lighter purple color compared to black rice. The corn husk doesn’t change the flavor what so ever. It’s just for coloring. You simply boil the purple corn husk to get a nice reddish purple colored water. Use that water to dye the rice.
What it looks like after soaking for 4 hrs 
After steaming 
Using purple sweet potato powder:
This is a great ingredient to use for that super purple almost royalty like color. You can easily find purple sweet potato powder online. It’s a little expensive but a little goes a long way. You can also use ube powder but it’s a little bit more on the lighter side. I don’t recommend using ube extract since it’s mostly just artificial food dye. Since the Suncore Foods powder comes so fine already, all you need to do is mix it in some water, stir it up and then add it into the rice to soak before steaming. The purple sweet potato powder doesn’t give the rice any flavor also. It’s just for color.
Suncore foods (right) has a much more vibrant darker purple hue to it. The ube powder is a lot more coarse and lighter in color.
Mix in water and pour over the sticky rice
After soaking for 4 hrs. You can go up to 6 hrs for long sticky grain rice.
What it looks like after steaming 
Using purple cabbage:
Yes! You can use purple cabbage! Blend the cabbage in some water, squeeze to save the purple liquid and use that to dye to rice. It’s a cheaper option and can be easily found at all grocery stores. It creates more of a periwinkle like purple hue. The cabbage does have a unique cabbage smell so be aware if you’re sensitive to that smell. After the rice is cooked, I didn’t really notice much of that cabbage smell so I didn’t mind.
Blend the cabbage
Strain over a mesh cloth and reserve the purple liquid
This is how purple the water gets. Super vibrant!
After soaking for 4 hrs. You can go up to 6 hrs for long sticky grain rice.
What it looks like after steaming
Overall shade comparison
In this order: Purple sweet potato powder, black rice, purple cabbage, & purple corn husk.
Which color do you like? Which one would you like to try?
Storing cooked sticky rice
You can store cooked sticky rice in a rice basket that’s been lined & covered with plastic or parchment paper. You can also individually portion pack into ziplock or sandwich bags so the rice doesn’t dry out. As long as the rice is completely covered with something, it will help keep the rice from drying out.
If you want to learn how to steam sticky rice, refer to my video. Other than that, I hope this helps you out and be motivated to give purple sticky rice a try. Happy Cooking!
-Cindy Her (C.HerCreations)
Purple Sticky Rice: How to make different shades of purple
Equipment
- Sticky rice steamer (base pot and basket)
Ingredients
With black rice
- 4 "rice cup" short grain sticky rice (Apple or Koda Farms sho-chiku-bai sweet rice)
- 2 "rice cup" black rice (you can use more or less depending how dark or light you want the rice to be)
- 10 "rice cup" water
With purple corn husk
- 4 "rice cup" short grain sticky rice (Apple or Koda Farms sho-chiku-bai sweet rice)
- 2 oz purple corn husk (60g)
- 8 "rice cup" water
With purple cabbage
- 4 "rice cup" long grain sticky rice (Rabbit brand)
- 8 "rice cup" warm water
- 1 1/2 lbs purple cabbage (676g)[rough chopped]
With purple sweet potato powder
- 4 "rice cup" long grain sticky rice (Rabbit brand)
- 8 "rice cup" warm water
- 1 1/2 Tbsp purple sweet potato powder (Suncore foods brand)
Instructions
With black rice
- In a bowl, add in the short grain rice and rinse about 2-3 times. Drain water and set aside. In a separate bowl, add in the black rice and rinse about 2-3 times and drain well. Place the black rice into a pot along with 10 rice cups of water. Bring it to a boil and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and then pour it over the short grain sticky rice. Stir well and allow it to soak for at least 4 hrs.
- After 4 hrs, drain the rice onto a bamboo rice basket that's been placed over a bowl (to help reserve the soaking liquid which we will use for later). Place the bamboo rice basket over the pot of boiling water. Cover with a lid and steam for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, use the bamboo basket to help you flip the rice so the bottom rice can flip up to the top for even cooking. Pour 1/2 of the soaking liquid over the the rice (just enough to get the rice wet) and stir. Cover and steam again for 10-15 more minutes or until it's done to your likeness. Don't steam too long or else your rice becomes too soft. Transfer the rice onto a rice bag lined platter to cool. Spread the sticky rice and stir to release the hot steam. This process should take at least 5 minutes or so. We do this so the rice can maintain it's nice chewy texture and to prevent the excess steam from making the rice smell when it sits. Then, individual portion out the sticky rice into plastic bags (for easier grab and go eat) or place it all into a bamboo rice basket holder. Eat while warm or place in the fridge and reheat again if desire.
With purple corn husk
- In a bowl, add in the short grain rice and rinse about 2-3 times. Drain water and set aside with a sieve over. In a pot, add in 8 "rice cups" of water along with the purple corn husk. Bring it to a boil and allow it to simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and then pour it over the short grain sticky rice. Stir well and allow it to soak for at least 4-6 hrs.
- After 4-6 hrs, drain the rice onto a bamboo rice basket that's been placed over a bowl (to help reserve the soaking liquid which we will use for later). Place the bamboo rice basket over the pot of boiling water. Cover with a lid and steam for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, use the bamboo basket to help you flip the rice so the bottom rice can flip up to the top for even cooking. Pour 1/2 of the soaking liquid over the the rice (just enough to get the rice wet) and stir. Cover and steam again for 10-15 more minutes or until it's done to your likeness. Don't steam too long or else your rice becomes too soft. Transfer the rice onto a rice bag lined platter to cool. Spread the sticky rice and stir to release the hot steam. This process should take at least 5 minutes or so. We do this so the rice can maintain it's nice chewy texture and to prevent the excess steam from making the rice smell when it sits. Then, individual portion out the sticky rice into plastic bags (for easier grab and go eat) or place it all into a bamboo rice basket holder. Eat while warm or place in the fridge and reheat again if desire.
With purple cabbage
- In a bowl, add in the short grain rice and rinse about 2-3 times. Drain water and set aside with a sieve over. In a blender, add in the chopped purple cabbage and 8 "rice cups" water. Blend for a few secs. Drain the blended cabbage over a mesh cloth that's been placed over a bowl. Squeeze out any access cabbage liquid and then pour the purple cabbage liquid into the rinsed sticky rice. Stir well and allow it to soak for at least 6 hrs. We're only using the liquid, so save the cabbage to be used for fritters/stir fry or whatever you like to do with it.
- After 6 hrs, drain the rice onto a bamboo rice basket that's been placed over a bowl (to help reserve the soaking liquid which we will use for later). Place the bamboo rice basket over the pot of boiling water. Cover with a lid and steam for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, use the bamboo basket to help you flip the rice so the bottom rice can flip up to the top for even cooking. Pour 1/2 of the soaking liquid over the the rice (just enough to get the rice wet) and stir. Cover and steam again for 10-15 more minutes or until it's done to your likeness. Don't steam too long or else your rice becomes too soft. Transfer the rice onto a rice bag lined platter to cool. Spread the sticky rice and stir to release the hot steam. This process should take at least 5 minutes or so. We do this so the rice can maintain it's nice chewy texture and to prevent the excess steam from making the rice smell when it sits. Then, individual portion out the sticky rice into plastic bags (for easier grab and go eat) or place it all into a bamboo rice basket holder. Eat while warm or place in the fridge and reheat again if desire.
With purple sweet potato powder
- In a bowl, add in the short grain rice and rinse about 2-3 times. Drain water and set aside with a sieve over. In a bowl, add in the warm water and purple sweet potato powder. Whisk until you no longer see any lumps. Transfer the liquid to the rinsed rice. Stir well and allow it to soak for at least 6 hrs.
- After 6 hrs, drain the rice onto a bamboo rice basket that's been placed over a bowl (to help reserve the soaking liquid which we will use for later). Place the bamboo rice basket over the pot of boiling water. Cover with a lid and steam for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, use the bamboo basket to help you flip the rice so the bottom rice can flip up to the top for even cooking. Pour 1/2 of the soaking liquid over the the rice (just enough to get the rice wet) and stir. Cover and steam again for 10-15 more minutes or until it's done to your likeness. Don't steam too long or else your rice becomes too soft. Transfer the rice onto a rice bag lined platter to cool. Spread the sticky rice and stir to release the hot steam. This process should take at least 5 minutes or so. We do this so the rice can maintain it's nice chewy texture and to prevent the excess steam from making the rice smell when it sits. Then, individual portion out the sticky rice into plastic bags (for easier grab and go eat) or place it all into a bamboo rice basket holder. Eat while warm or place in the fridge and reheat again if desire.
- Enjoy sticky rice with your favorite bbq meat, chili pepper dip, papaya salad, or make a dessert with it. Enjoy!
