Bora Saul Sticky Rice Assam

Method

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   About Bora Saul: Bora Saul (glutinous sticky rice) is the everyday morning breakfast starch of Assam — eaten with anything from curd to dal to pickle. The variety is unique to Assam and the broader Northeast — short, plump grains that turn translucent and naturally sticky when steamed. It is also the rice used for many traditional sweets like pithas. Cooking it properly requires a different technique from regular rice — steaming, not boiling.

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   Understand glutinous rice: Use 2 cups of glutinous rice (also called sweet rice, sticky rice, or bora saul in Assamese). The grains should look short, plump, and milky-white. Available at Northeast Indian groceries, Asian supermarkets, or specialty rice shops. Avoid regular long-grain rice — it does not produce sticky rice no matter how you cook it.

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   Check the rice quality: Open the bag and examine — the grains should be uniform, free of broken pieces, and smell faintly sweet. Old glutinous rice loses its sticky character; use fresh.

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   Wash the rice gently: Place the rice in a wide bowl. Cover with cold water and gently swirl with your fingers — do not scrub aggressively, which breaks the grains. Drain through a sieve.

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   Wash multiple times: Repeat the washing 4-5 times until the water runs nearly clear. Glutinous rice has high surface starch; thorough washing is essential.

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   The critical soaking: Cover the washed rice with cold water (about 4 cups) and soak for 1-2 hours minimum, preferably overnight. Soaking is non-negotiable for glutinous rice — without soaking, the grains do not cook through evenly. The longer the soak, the better the texture.

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   Drain very thoroughly: Drain the soaked rice in a sieve. Let drip dry for 5-10 minutes. The drained rice should look plump and fully white (not partly translucent yet — that comes during steaming).

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   Prepare the steamer: You need a steamer setup. Traditional Assamese kitchens use bamboo steamers; bamboo Chinese-style steamers work just as well. Alternatively, use a regular metal steamer or a colander placed inside a pot.

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   Line the steamer: Line the bottom of the steamer with muslin cloth (cheesecloth) or banana leaves. The lining prevents the rice from falling through the holes. Cotton kitchen towels also work but are slightly thicker and may slow steam penetration.

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    Spread the rice evenly: Tip the drained rice onto the lining and spread evenly to a depth of about 2-3cm. Do not pile too thick — thick layers do not steam through evenly.

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    Prepare the steaming pot: Pour about 5cm of water into the pot below the steamer. Place over high heat and bring to a rolling boil — vigorous steam should escape from the gaps.

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    The critical placement: Once the water is at a rolling boil and steaming aggressively, place the loaded steamer on top. Cover with the lid. The steam needs to be hot enough to start cooking the rice immediately.

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    Steam for 20-25 minutes: Cook covered without lifting the lid for 20 minutes initially. Glutinous rice is forgiving but lifting the lid early stops the cooking process and produces undercooked centres.

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    Check doneness at 20 minutes: After 20 minutes, lift the lid carefully (away from your face — steam burns badly). Check the rice — the grains should look translucent (not white), feel sticky when pressed, and chew with a slight resistance but not crunchy. If still partly white in centres, steam 5 more minutes.

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    The stickiness test: Take a few grains and press between your fingers. They should mash together easily and feel sticky. Loose, separated grains mean the rice was not soaked or steamed enough.

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    Monitor water level: During the long steam, the water in the bottom may need topping up. After 15 minutes check that there is still about 2cm of water; if not, add 1/2 cup hot (not cold) water through the side without lifting the lid.

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    Let rest covered: Once the rice is done, switch off the heat. Keep the lid on for 5 more minutes — this rest lets the residual heat finish the cooking and the steam soaks evenly into the grains.

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    Tip out and serve: Lift out the muslin cloth (or steamer basket) carefully. Tip the rice into a serving bowl. The rice should look glossy, translucent and stick together when scooped.

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    Optional salt: Some Assamese homes sprinkle a small pinch of salt over the rice and fold gently. Many prefer plain unsalted rice and add seasoning at the table.

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    Serving the traditional way: Bora Saul is traditionally eaten with the hands. Take a small handful, press lightly to compact, then dip into curd, jaggery, dal or pickle. This way of eating is part of the cultural experience.

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    Serve with curd and jaggery: The most loved Assamese breakfast pairing — small bowls of thick yogurt, grated jaggery, and sliced banana alongside the warm sticky rice. Eaters mix portions together as they eat.

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    Serve with curry: Bora Saul also pairs beautifully with any Assamese curry — fish curry, chicken curry, dal. The sticky rice is more substantial than regular rice and absorbs less gravy, so use a more generous serving of curry.

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    For pithas and sweets: Cooked bora saul is the base for many traditional pithas (rice cakes). Pre-cooked rice can be ground into pastes, mixed with jaggery and coconut, and shaped into traditional Assamese sweets.

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    Leftover storage: Stored in an airtight container in the fridge, bora saul keeps for 2-3 days. It hardens noticeably when cold; refresh by re-steaming for 5-7 minutes, or wrapping in a damp cloth and microwaving for 90 seconds.

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    A cultural note: Glutinous rice cultivation has been part of Assamese agriculture for over 1500 years. The rice is grown in slightly different conditions than regular rice — wetter, with longer maturation periods. Traditional Assamese farming families often grow their own bora saul for family consumption and ceremonial occasions.