A reference entry consolidating the role of sticky rice (glutinous rice) in the cultures of the Mekong corridor — Laos, northern and northeastern Thailand, the Shan plateau, and northern Cambodia. In these traditions, sticky rice is not merely a starch but a cultural marker, a social medium, and the structural centre around which all other food components are organised.
**The sticky rice basket (kratip / tiffin):** Sticky rice is traditionally stored and served in woven bamboo baskets — the kratip (Lao/Thai) or equivalent in each tradition. The basket's woven structure allows steam circulation that maintains the rice's warmth and texture without it becoming soggy. The basket is placed on the table alongside the dishes; each diner tears off a small amount, presses it into a ball in one hand, and uses it to scoop up other dishes. **The hand-eating technique:** Sticky rice is eaten with the right hand — the rice pressed into a small, slightly flat ball, then used as a scoop for other dishes. The ball of rice absorbs the dish's sauce and flavour as it scoops. This eating technique requires sticky rice specifically — fragrant rice is too loose to press into a ball and collapses when used as a scoop. **The preparation (Entry TH-14 full method applies here with Lao-specific notes):** The Lao overnight soak is the same as the Thai method. The steaming equipment differs slightly — the Lao huad (wicker cone basket) is the traditional vessel, but any tight-fitting steamer over vigorously boiling water produces the same result with the same technique. **Sticky rice as a flavour carrier:** The slightly neutral, slightly fermented flavour of properly steamed sticky rice is designed to carry the assertive flavours of the dishes it accompanies — larb, jeow bong, grilled meats. The rice's starchy neutrality moderates the intensity of these dishes, allowing sustained eating without palate fatigue.
Naomi Duguid & Jeffrey Alford, *Hot Sour Salty Sweet: A Culinary Journey Through Southeast Asia* (2000); Naomi Duguid, *Burma: Rivers of Flavor* (2012)