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1
Place the glutinous rice in a large bowl and cover with the 2 litres of cold water, then leave to soak for a minimum of 8 hours — overnight is optimal. The long soak allows moisture to reach the very heart of each grain so that steam alone can finish the job without the outside turning mushy before the centre is done. Drain completely before steaming.
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2
Bring a pot of water to a vigorous boil, then line the conical bamboo steamer (huad) with cheesecloth and spread the drained rice evenly inside, folding the cloth over the top. Set the steamer over the pot and confirm the rice sits entirely above the waterline, because any grain touching the water will boil rather than steam and turn sodden and heavy. The rice cooks by circulating steam alone.
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3
Steam over vigorously boiling water for 20–25 minutes, maintaining the boil throughout so the steam never falters and the rice cooks evenly from base to crown. At 20 minutes, take a single grain from the centre of the mass — not from the outer edge, which cooks faster and is not representative — bite it in half and hold it to a light source. This is where the dish lives or dies: the grain must be completely translucent throughout — glassy, slightly amber — with no white, chalky centre remaining, since any opacity signals that dry, underhydrated starch still sits at the core; return the lid and steam for a further 5 minutes before retesting.
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4
Remove the steamer from the heat and transfer the cooked rice immediately to a covered container or wrap it tightly in a clean cloth, trapping the residual heat so the grains stay supple and do not begin to dry and firm at the surface. Sticky rice hardens within 2 hours at room temperature and should be eaten warm; if held, reheat by steaming for 5 minutes.