Bamboo rice is a dish originating from the northern mountainous provinces. This dish not only represents the unique culinary features of the highland people but is also the pride of the ethnic people. It is called bamboo rice because this dish is cooked by grilling rice in bamboo tubes and the word “lam” in the Thai language also means grilling.
To create delicious, smooth rice grains, you must choose sticky rice carefully. It must be long, medium-sized, white and fragrant.
Bamboo rice is a typical dish of the northern mountains and forests.
Unlike rice using regular rice, bamboo rice is usually cooked from sticky rice grown by local people. To create fragrant sticky bamboo rice, the sticky rice must be carefully selected, using only large, plump, white grains with a light aroma. Then, people will soak the rice for a few hours or overnight to soften it, then mix it with coconut milk, grated coconut, sesame... Finally, put it in a bamboo tube, cover both ends with banana leaves and grill it over fire.
Choosing bamboo tubes is also very important, it determines the success of this sticky rice dish. The tubes must not be too young or too old, especially the freshest tubes to be able to fully retain the aroma when processed.
When cooked, the bamboo layer on the bamboo tube will be peeled off, leaving only a thin, ivory-colored bamboo membrane to hold the sticky cooked rice inside. When eaten, the bamboo tube rice can be cut into small pieces, dipped in sesame salt or eaten with pork, grilled chicken, and green chili salt, a true mountain flavor.
Choosing bamboo or reed tubes is also very important, it determines the success of this sticky rice dish.
Currently, not only Vietnam but also Thailand has this bamboo tube rice dish, but the way of cooking will be a little different. Accordingly, in this country, the dish still retains the form of cooking in bamboo tubes, but people will replace regular sticky rice with 100% sticky rice to cook Khao Lam sticky rice.
Khao Lam sticky rice has long been a tradition of Thai people, often sold in some markets such as Mae Khong Kongsak, Nong Mon... or on the streets. If you visit these stalls, you will see bamboo tubes arranged neatly, filled with fragrant sticky rice. Usually, the seller will prepare the dish in advance and sell it as soon as there is a customer.
The bamboo tubes are arranged in long rows and burned with coconut husks. The secret to Khao Lam retaining its aroma without mixing with the smoke is that people add lemon to the firewood and use ceramic tiles to prevent dust.
Burn for about 2-3 hours for the sticky rice to bloom evenly and give off a fragrant aroma. Normally, Khao Lam is cooked with red beans, creating a rich and fatty combination between these two ingredients. If not, you can try the sweet taste of taro in a strange purple color.
Khao Lam is simple in appearance, but the ingredients and preparation of this dish require meticulousness and skill.
Khao Lam sticky rice in Thailand is usually cooked in shorter bamboo tubes. People will choose wild bamboo, straight stems and cut into sections to form a tube. Once the tube is filled with sticky rice mixture, the sticky rice tubes will be lined up and grilled by burning coconut shells or directly on fire.
The main ingredients of Khao Lam sticky rice are white sticky rice, coconut milk, red beans or black beans, sugar, and salt. The sticky rice is usually soaked overnight to create a natural sweetness. When the sticky rice is soft, the remaining ingredients are added and mixed well.
To enjoy, you have to break the bamboo tube to get the sticky rice or leave it whole and scoop it out by spoonfuls to eat directly. This dish is best served with chicken, grilled wild boar and black sesame salt. However, many people still prefer to eat the original sticky rice because of its pleasant sweetness and the aroma of bamboo.
