Published Mar 03, 2021 Updated Aug 23, 2024

Black Rice

What is black rice? Black rice is a type of rice grain which is black in color. According to Wikipedia, it belongs to the species of Oryza Sativa. Black rice is sometimes referred as purple rice or forbidden rice.

Black Rice Varieties

There are three (3) main varieties: Black sticky rice is a long-grain glutinous rice; they are common in many Southeast Asian countries. Black Japonica rice is a mixture of black short-grain japonica rice and medium-grain red rice. They are great for rice salads. Chinese black rice is also known as forbidden rice. They are grown in China and eaten as a porridge. Chinese black rice is not sticky. (Source: Masterclass.com) In summary, some black rice are sticky in nature, and hence they are also called black sticky rice or black glutinous rice. However, not all black rice are sticky!

Health Benefits Of Black Rice

Black rice is one of the healthiest rice grains. It’s packed with nutrients and comes with lots of health benefits:

Higher in protein compared to brown rice> Loaded with fiber and iron while low in fat. Offers the highest in antioxidants of all the rice varieties. Promotes heart health and may prevent cancer. Gluten free! Promotes healthy eyes.

To learn more, please check out Healthline.com.

Black Sticky Rice (Black Glutinous Rice)

Black sticky rice is commonly eaten in Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia, mostly as a dessert. In Malay, it’s called Pulut Hitam. One of the best black sticky rice recipe is to boil the rice over low heat and turn it into a bubur (or porridge), then sweetened with sugar and coconut milk. The dessert is called bubur hitam or bubur pult hitam, or bee koh moy in Penang Hokkien dialect.

Recipe Ingredients

To make black rice into a sweet dessert, you will need the following ingredients:

Black sticky rice Water Sugar Coconut milk Salt

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients.

How To Make Black Rice

Black rice comes with the outermost layer of bran intact, making the exterior harder and hence takes longer to cook. After rinsing the black rice with water, you can cook it (with the water) on low heat until they are broken up. You can also use a slow cooker or a pressure cooker such as an Instant Pot to make the rice. I love the mouth feel and texture of this boiled black sticky rice dessert. The slightly salty coconut milk simply completes the flavor by lending a creamy note.

What To Serve With This Recipe

Serve this dish as a dessert. For a complete Malaysia meal, I recommend the following recipes. I hope you enjoy this post as much as I do. If you try my recipe, please leave a comment and consider giving it a 5-star rating. For more easy and delicious recipes, explore my Recipe Index, and stay updated by subscribing to my newsletter and following me on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram for new updates.

Other Rice Recipes You Might Like

Sushi Rice Green Tea Rice Mango Sticky Rice Black Rice Black Sticky Rice Black Glutinous Rice - 78Black Rice Black Sticky Rice Black Glutinous Rice - 95Black Rice Black Sticky Rice Black Glutinous Rice - 4Black Rice Black Sticky Rice Black Glutinous Rice - 78Black Rice Black Sticky Rice Black Glutinous Rice - 95Black Rice Black Sticky Rice Black Glutinous Rice - 49Black Rice Black Sticky Rice Black Glutinous Rice - 89Black Rice Black Sticky Rice Black Glutinous Rice - 15Black Rice Black Sticky Rice Black Glutinous Rice - 8Black Rice Black Sticky Rice Black Glutinous Rice - 7Black Rice Black Sticky Rice Black Glutinous Rice - 91Black Rice Black Sticky Rice Black Glutinous Rice - 61Black Rice Black Sticky Rice Black Glutinous Rice - 80