The Most Common Types of Rice in Thai Cooking
Types of rice in Thai cooking start in the flooded paddy fields you see across the countryside, where many Thai families still grow their own crop and share the harvest among relatives to bring home the best of the season.
The main types of rice in Thai cooking are white (steamed) rice, jasmine rice, sticky rice, black sticky rice, brown rice, basmati rice and sushi rice. White rice is the staple carbohydrate that bulks out a meal and soaks up curry and sauce. Jasmine rice, soft and fragrant, is the one you want for sweet dishes like mango sticky rice.
Sticky rice is the everyday grain of Northern Thailand, rolled into a small ball and eaten by hand. Once you understand these types of rice in Thai cooking, you understand how a whole meal is built, and every one of the types of rice in Thai cooking earns its place on the table.
Cooking with Rice in Chiang Mai
In our morning and evening classes you cook and eat rice the Thai way – you learn to soak and steam sticky rice in a bamboo basket, taste how jasmine rice lifts a curry, and see why every Thai meal is built around the rice bowl. Roll a warm ball of sticky rice with your hands and you understand Northern Thailand a little better.
List of 7 Types of Rice in Thai Cooking
Steamed Rice
TH – ข้าวเจ้า – Kaao Jao
Steamed rice is the plain, non-glutinous white rice eaten across central and southern Thailand. Kaao Jao simply means “common rice” – light, fluffy and neutral, it is the everyday plate of rice that carries a curry, soaks up a stir-fry sauce or cools a chilli-hot dish. Unlike fragrant jasmine, it is prized for being unobtrusive: the quiet base almost every Thai main is served over.
Jasmine Rice
TH – ข้าวหอมมะลิ – Khao Hom Mali
Jasmine rice or fragrant rice is grown primarily in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Southern Vietnam. Its fragrance is reminiscent of pandan and popcorn. There are two types of Thai jasmine rice – white and brown. Brown jasmine rice retains the light tan outer layer on the rice grain. It has greater health benefits than white jasmine rice because it contains bran.
Sticky Rice
TH – ข้าวเหนียว – Kaao Nieow
Sticky Rice (also called Glutinous Rice) is a type of rice grown primarily in Southeast Asia and East Asia, which sticks together when cooked and is firmer than normal rice. Please note that this is not the same thing as sushi rice. It needs to be soaked in water for 4 or 5 hours or overnight before it is ready to be steamed.
Black Sticky Rice
TH – ข้าวเหนียวดำ – Kaao Nieow Dam
Black Sticky Rice is also glutinous rice, the same variety as regular white sticky rice. It is also known as “Purple Sticky Rice”. The whole grains are black. When steamed or cooked, the rice turns into a dark purple color, and naturally becomes sticky, chewy, and gummy in texture. It tastes mildly sweet, with a nutty, fruity, and floral flavor.
Brown Rice
TH – ข้าวกล้อง – Kaao Klong
Brown rice, also known as coarse rice or red rice, is rice which has been milled to slightly remove the rice husk but keep part of the rice germ and rice bran. Brown rice has approximately 3-7 times the amount of fiber than white rice, meaning you will feel full for longer if you eat brown rice. Brown rice also contains many beneficial nutrients.
Basmati Rice
TH – ข้าวบาสมาติ – Kaao Baat-sa-maa-ti
Basmati rice is most commonly used in traditional Indian cuisine. The name originates from a Sanskrit word meaning ‘fragrant’. Basmati rice has longer, pointy grains, and is traditionally grown in parts of India and Pakistan. Its origins likely date back to 2000 BC – Basmati rice has been a food staple in South Asian cuisines for centuries.
Sushi Rice
TH – ข้าวซูชิ – Kaao Su-chi
Sushi rice is made by cooking Japanese short-grain rice and seasoning it with a mixture of rice vinegar, salt, sugar, and sometimes kombu (kelp). In Japanese, this kind of rice is also known as ‘sushi-meshi’, ‘su-meshi’ or ‘shari’. Sushi rice is much stickier than white rice, and short-grain rice contains a lot more starch.
The Chiang Mai Markets Behind Our Rice
Rice is the one ingredient we don’t buy by the handful – it comes in by the sack and lives in the kitchen, ready for every class. But where it comes from still matters. In Northern Thailand, sticky rice (ข้าวเหนียว, khao niao) is the everyday grain, eaten with the fingers alongside almost every meal, and we choose our types of rice in Thai cooking from the rice merchants of Chiang Mai’s local markets rather than off a supermarket shelf.
Visit Our Two Chiang Mai Markets
Where the day’s fresh ingredients come from
🛒 Chiang Mai Gate (South Gate) Market – A few minutes from our kitchen, the market by the old city’s southern gate is where the rest of the day’s shopping happens – and where you’ll see sticky rice already steamed, sold warm in bamboo baskets to locals on their way to work. It’s the clearest reminder that in Chiang Mai, rice isn’t a side dish; it’s the meal.
🛒 Muang Mai Market – Along the Ping River, Muang Mai is Chiang Mai’s largest fresh market, and among the produce stalls sit the rice and dry-goods merchants. This is where we buy by the sack: fragrant jasmine rice, the glutinous sticky rice that defines a Northern table, and the black sticky rice we steam for dessert. Buying from a merchant who knows their harvest means a fresher, more fragrant grain than any pre-packed bag.
Curious how the different types of rice in Thai cooking actually cook up? Join the Morning Class with its fresh-market tour – and in class you’ll learn to soak and steam sticky rice the traditional way, then eat it the way the North does: with your hands.
Matching the Types of Rice in Thai Cooking to Each Dish
Each grain has its job. The types of rice in Thai cooking are chosen to fit the dish: fluffy jasmine for fragrant curries, chewy sticky rice for grilled meats and salads up north, and firm white rice as the everyday base that carries bold, spicy sauces without getting in their way.
In our Chiang Mai class we help you taste the difference for yourself. You will handle several types of rice in Thai cooking, learn to steam and soak each one correctly, and leave knowing exactly which of the types of rice in Thai cooking belongs with the dish you want to cook at home.
Recommended by Lonely Planet – 2026
Listed among the best things to do in Chiang Mai by Lonely Planet – independent recognition that stands beside the Thai Akha Kitchen awards 2026.
Lonely Planet again recommended Thai Akha Kitchen among the best things to do in Chiang Mai in 2026 – an unbroken run since 2019. Two of travel’s most trusted names, TripAdvisor and Lonely Planet, pointing independent travellers to the same Akha kitchen, year after year. It is the kind of steady, repeated endorsement that sits naturally beside the Thai Akha Kitchen awards 2026.
Rice in Thai Culture: The Centre of Every Meal (ข้าว – Kaao)
Your Questions Answered
Rice (ข้าว – Kaao) is far more than a side dish in Thailand – it is the foundation of every meal and a central part of Thai identity. Thai families eat rice two to three times a day, and the phrase “gin kaao” (กินข้าว), which literally means “eat rice,” is used to mean “have a meal.” At Thai Akha Kitchen in Chiang Mai, we teach you how to cook rice the Thai way – from properly rinsing Jasmine rice to soaking and steaming Sticky Rice in a traditional bamboo basket over a clay pot.
Northern Thailand, including Chiang Mai, has a distinct rice culture heavily influenced by Akha hill tribe traditions and neighboring Lao culture. Sticky Rice (ข้าวเหนียว – Kaao Nieow) is the everyday grain of the North, eaten by hand and rolled into small balls to scoop up grilled meats, papaya salad, and chili dips. At our Local Fresh Market Tour in Chiang Mai, you will see freshly steamed Sticky Rice sold in woven bamboo containers at every corner of the morning market – a tradition unchanged for centuries.
Explore our experiences: Morning Cooking Class (with market tour, 1,400 THB) · Evening Cooking Class (1,300 THB) · Local Market Tour · Online Cooking Class · Thai Ingredients Guide · About Thai Akha Kitchen
What is the most common rice in Thailand?
The most commonly eaten of the types of rice in Thai cooking is Thai Jasmine Rice (ข้าวหอมมะลิ – Khao Hom Mali), a long-grain fragrant rice with a slightly sticky texture, served with most central and southern Thai dishes. In Northern Thailand and Chiang Mai, Sticky Rice (ข้าวเหนียว – Kaao Nieow) is the everyday staple, eaten at breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
What is the difference between Jasmine Rice and Sticky Rice?
Jasmine Rice is a long-grain rice that becomes slightly fragrant and sticky when cooked – perfect for stir-fries, curries, and fried rice. Sticky Rice (Glutinous Rice) is a completely different variety that becomes very soft, chewy, and cohesive when cooked. It must be soaked for at least 4 hours before steaming and is traditionally served in a bamboo basket. These are not interchangeable – like all the types of rice in Thai cooking, each requires a different cooking technique and suits different dishes.
Can I learn to cook Thai rice in Chiang Mai?
Yes! At Thai Akha Kitchen in Chiang Mai, both our Morning Cooking Class and Evening Cooking Class include hands-on practice with the types of rice in Thai cooking. You will learn how to wash, soak, and steam Sticky Rice using traditional equipment, and how to properly cook Jasmine Rice as the base for your dishes. Classes take place at our kitchen in central Chiang Mai, with hotel transport, a recipe book, and all ingredients included.
What types of rice do you cook with at Thai Akha Kitchen?
We cook with seven types of rice in Thai cooking, but two do most of the work. Thai Jasmine Rice (ข้าวหอมมะลิ – Khao Hom Mali) is our everyday long-grain, and Sticky Rice (ข้าวเหนียว – Kaao Nieow) is the Northern staple you eat by hand. From there it depends on the dish: Black Sticky Rice (ข้าวเหนียวดำ – Kaao Nieow Dam) for desserts, Brown Rice when you want something heartier and more wholesome, and Basmati and Sushi Rice for variety. Each one is cooked its own way – different soaking, different timing.
What is black sticky rice used for?
Black Sticky Rice (ข้าวเหนียวดำ – Kaao Nieow Dam) is mostly a dessert rice here. It isn’t actually black but a deep purple, with a nutty taste and a little chew that white sticky rice doesn’t have. We use it for black sticky rice pudding, slow-cooked with coconut milk and a touch of palm sugar, and it’s lovely served warm with fresh mango. It needs a good long soak and patient cooking, but the colour and flavour are worth it.
Is Thai rice gluten-free?
Yes. All the types of rice in Thai cooking are naturally gluten-free – Jasmine, Sticky Rice (ข้าวเหนียว – Kaao Nieow), brown, black, basmati and sushi rice all included. That makes it a safe, comforting base for guests who are coeliac or avoiding gluten. The thing to watch in Thai cooking isn’t the rice itself but a few sauces, like some soy sauces that contain wheat. In our classes just let us know, and we’ll guide you to gluten-free swaps so your dishes stay safe.
How should I store rice at home to keep it fresh?
Uncooked rice keeps well if you treat it simply: an airtight container, somewhere cool, dry and out of the sun. Like that, white rice lasts a long time, while brown rice and black sticky rice have natural oils that turn sooner, so use them within a few months. Cooked rice is different – cool it quickly, refrigerate within a couple of hours, keep it no more than a day or two, and reheat it until it’s piping hot all the way through.
Can I cook sticky rice at home without a traditional bamboo steamer?
You can. The bamboo basket and pot (huad) we use is best – it lets the steam move freely and gives Sticky Rice (ข้าวเหนียว – Kaao Nieow) that perfect texture. But at home a metal steamer works well too: line it with cheesecloth or muslin so the grains don’t fall through, or use a colander set over a pot of simmering water with a tight lid. The real secret isn’t the basket – it’s soaking the rice for a few hours first, then steaming rather than boiling.
🍚 Thai Cooking Ingredients:
Every ingredient guide below works the same way – a photo, the Thai name and the English phonetics for each item – so you can move from one category to the next and get to know the whole Thai pantry:
Fresh Vegetables · Fruits · Misc. Ingredients · Spices · Rice · Meats
Or start from the overview: the Thai Ingredients Guide brings all six categories together in one place – a complete map of the Thai & Akha pantry, from the morning market to the wok.
Cooking vegan, vegetarian, or around an allergy? Our Dietary Style guide shows how Thai & Akha dishes adapt to different dietary needs without losing their flavour.
Discover more about Thai Akha Kitchen:
Morning Class · Evening Class · Local Market Tour · Online Class · Recipes · Reviews · Awards · Contact
Thai Cooking Ingredients on the Web
Further Reading
Trusted, independent references on Thai cooking ingredients – the herbs, spices, vegetables, and aromatics behind every dish – plus the Northern Thai and Akha food traditions of Chiang Mai, to help you understand the pantry before you cook with us:
🍜 Wikipedia – Thai Cuisine
A broad overview of Thai cuisine, history and ingredients.
🏔️ Wikipedia – Northern Thai Cuisine
Lanna food traditions of Chiang Mai and the north.
🌿 Wikipedia – Kaffir Lime
Aromatic citrus leaf, essential and irreplaceable in Thai cooking.
🪺 Wikipedia – Galangal
The rhizome behind tom kha and many curry pastes.
🌏 Tourism Authority of Thailand
The official guide to Thai food and culinary travel.
🛖 Wikipedia – Akha People
The hill-tribe heritage behind our family kitchen and flavours.
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