Eating with Hands through Khao Niew (sticky rice)

In Laos, eating with hands is not as universally practiced as in India, but it is quite common. When considering hand-eating in Laos, the presence of sticky rice cannot be overlooked. In many regions and ethnic groups in Laos, such as the Lao and Lue peoples, steamed sticky rice is the staple food, referred to as “khao (rice) niew (sticky).” The majority of hand-eaten meals consist of this steamed sticky rice (hereinafter referred to as “khao niew”).

In addition to khao niew, there are other staple carbohydrates such as khao jao(non-sticky rice), phu (similar to Vietnam’s “pho”, non-sticky rice noodle), khao pun (fermented non-sticky rice noodles, akin to Vietnam’s “bun”), khao piak (which is made from tapioca and non-sticky rice flour,) and khao jee (a French bread from the French colonial period). While these staple foods are mainly eaten with chopsticks or a spoon, khao niew is always eaten by hand.

In Laos, eating a meal is called “kin (eat) khao (rice). Like “eating rice” in Japanese, “having a meal” and “eating rice” are both expressed with the same word. When simply referring to “khao” (rice or rice dishes), it usually implies sticky rice (khao niew) unless otherwise specified. This suggests that khao niew, eaten by hand, is central to the concept of “meals” in Laos.

The Art of Steaming Khao Niew

Since khao niew is intended to be eaten by hand, its steaming process is highly prioritized. The rice must absorb sufficient water, be thoroughly cooked, and possess the ideal stickiness required for molding by hand. At the same time, it must never be overly dry nor cling to the hands. Achieving this balance is a precise and critical requirement.

Undercooked rice that is too hard, partially uncooked grains, or rice that has dried out due to improper handling are all unacceptable. Particularly undesirable is the excessive stickiness that results from over-steaming or poor handling after steaming. Laotians are meticulous about not over-steaming khao niew, ensuring excess steam is released after cooking, and storing the rice correctly post-steaming. Any misstep in these processes can lead to an unpleasant khao niew that sticks excessively to the hands, compromising the dining experience.

How to Cook Khao Niew

Khao niew is steamed using a specialized tool composed of a bamboo basket and an aluminum pot after soaking for 1 hour to overnight. This tool is called a “moo nung khao niew.” The soaked glutinous rice is placed in the bottom of the bamboo basket (known as “fuak khao“), which is woven in a mortar-like shape. The basket is then supported by a pot with a wide, trumpet-shaped opening and a constricted neck below. Its shape resembles Japan’s ancient koshiki (rice steamer). Unlike Japanese steamers where steam only rises from below, this design ensures that the entire batch of sticky rice is enveloped in high-temperature steam inside the pot.

After steaming for about 70–80% of the required time, the handles on the sides of the bamboo basket—shaped like cat ears—are grabbed with both hands, and the basket is shaken vigorously to flip the rice. Steaming then continues. The duration varies depending on the soaking time and the amount of rice but typically takes only 20–40 minutes for quick steaming.

The post-steaming process is also critical. Immediately after steaming, the bamboo basket is flipped, and the sticky rice is spread out onto a large bamboo tray. Using a wooden utensil resembling a thin sushi rice paddle, the rice is repeatedly flipped to release excess steam. Slightly cooled sticky rice is then gathered into a large lump by hand to minimize the surface area and prevent it from drying out. It is then placed into a bamboo rice container (thip khao). Each step is carefully executed to ensure the rice doesn’t stick to hands or become overly dry.

If these steps are skipped—such as placing the freshly steamed sticky rice directly into a plastic bag—it quickly becomes sticky and unpleasant to handle due to excess moisture. Additionally, reheating leftover sticky rice from the previous day will inevitably result in a sticky surface. When purchasing sticky rice sold along the roadside, Lao people are often outraged if they unknowingly end up buying reheated rice.

How to Eat Khao Niew

In Laos, the fundamental meal structure consists of khao niew paired with side dishes. When dining with a group, a large bamboo container (thip khao), sometimes as big as a washbasin, is passed around. Each person takes a portion of khao niew directly from the container by hand. There are no restrictions on which hand to use—either the right or left hand is acceptable. Individuals separate a personal portion of khao niew, which they can hold in their non-dominant hand or place on a plate or table for later use. In restaurants or during quick meals at work, smaller individual-sized tip khao containers are used.

To eat, one typically pinches off a portion of khao niew about the size of a coin to a ping-pong ball using their dominant hand. Using all five fingers and the upper part of the palm, they repeatedly press and shape the rice into a firm, compact ball. Although khao niew is made from glutinous rice, it is steamed in a way that prevents it from sticking to the hands. The first few squeezes are quick and broad to gather the rice into a cohesive ball, followed by firmer presses to compact it fully. This technique minimizes rice sticking to the hands. The formed ball of khao niew is then held at the fingertips and pressed firmly into communal side dishes served at the table to pick up a small amount of the dish before being eaten. It is also common to create a small indentation in the rice ball to hold a larger portion of the side dish. In this case, the rice ball is held with four fingers while being pressed into the dish, and the thumb is used to scoop and secure the side dish into the indentation.

Because khao niew forms the cornerstone of meals, Lao side dishes are optimized in texture and consistency for eating with sticky rice. The most basic side dish is jeow, a paste made by crushing a variety of ingredients such as fish, meat, mushrooms, vegetables, or fruits. With just khao niew and jeow, the simplest unit of a Lao meal is complete, similar to the “rice and pickles” concept in Japan.
Other common side dishes, such as laab, koi, and mok, are also finely chopped, mashed, or thickened with glutinous rice flour to make them easier to eat with the compact khao niew. This optimization highlights the seamless pairing of khao niew with Lao cuisine.

Round Tables and Mats

Dining tables in Laos are typically round and made of rattan, bamboo, or thin aluminum. These tables are about 60 cm in diameter and stand approximately 20 cm tall. A single round table can seat 5–6 people. For group meals, participants gather around the table (as solo dining is uncommon in Laos). When the group size exceeds the table’s capacity, multiple tables are arranged. In cases where tables are unavailable, or during large gatherings such as festivals, a large mat is spread out, and dishes are placed directly in the center. In urban areas or among wealthier households, high tables and chairs are sometimes used. However, when using round tables or mats, men generally sit cross-legged, while women sit with their legs tucked to one side. This seating style is influenced by traditional women’s attire, the sinh (a knee-length, fitted, skirt-like garment) which naturally accommodates this posture. When wearing jeans or other modern clothing, women may not always sit in this traditional manner.

For meals during farm work breaks or outdoor picnics, mats are predominantly used. Sitting directly on the ground to eat is a common practice in Laos, and there appears to be little cultural aversion to dining in this manner.

Hand-Eating Mediated by Food: Beyond Khao Niew

The process of pinching and rolling khao niew involves direct contact between the food and a wide surface of the hand (all five fingers and the upper part of the palm), making it a pure form of hand-eating. However, in the subsequent step of picking up side dishes, the practice transitions into a mediated form of hand-eating. In this method, the khao niew serves as an intermediary, and side dishes rarely come into direct contact with the hand. This contrasts with hand-eating in countries like India, where both the staple food and side dishes are directly handled by the hands.

Beyond khao niew, other foods are also commonly eaten by hand, including raw vegetables, boiled vegetables, boiled bamboo shoots, and fermented rice noodles (khao poon). The method of eating these foods resembles the mediated hand-eating style seen with khao niew. For example, vegetables or bamboo shoots are picked up by hand and dipped into jeow, or a portion of khao poon is pinched and paired with a side dish before eating. In these cases, only the vegetables or similar items come into direct contact with the hand, while the side dishes remain untouched by it.

There are instances of eating side dishes directly by hand, but the method differs from the broad-hand approach used for rolling khao niew. For items like grilled meat or fish, actions such as tearing meat, removing bones, shredding, or holding the food to bite into it involve only the fingertips. The palm and the base of the fingers are not used, maintaining a more refined and localized use of the hands for such tasks.

Meals Without Hand-Eating

In Laos, there are also dining practices that do not involve hand-eating. For noodle dishes, chopsticks are commonly used. The only noodle dish typically eaten by hand is khao poon (fermented rice noodles) when no broth or sauce is added. However, if khao poon is served with curry made from shredded fish or other sauces, it is eaten using chopsticks or a spoon.

Another type of rice, khao jao (non-sticky rice), is almost never eaten by hand. When khao jao is served with side dishes, the rice is portioned onto individual plates, and diners use a spoon in their dominant hand and a fork in the other to eat.

When eating side dishes on their own, chopsticks, spoons, or forks are used. From the perspective of the author, who comes from Japan—a culture where chopsticks are integral to meals—the chopstick skills of Lao people may seem less refined. This is likely because chopsticks are less central to Lao dining practices compared to Japanese meals. Further investigation into this cultural difference would be valuable.

Hand-Eating in Laos: A Clean Mediator Between Food and Hand?

It has been about ten years since I first visited Laos, and I have never once eaten khao niew without molding it with my hands. The experience of tightly molding the sticky rice by hand versus not doing so is entirely different. I have yet to meet a Lao person who does not eat khao niew with their hands. Such is the inseparable connection between khao niew and hand-eating in Laos.

Up to this point, this text has focused on hand-eating in Laos, centering around khao niew. Upon reflection, it seems that what is actively touched by the hands is limited to items that leave nothing behind on the hands after contact. These include khao niew, raw vegetables, boiled vegetables, boiled bamboo shoots, and fermented rice noodles. It appears that these items, which can be directly touched by the hands, belong to a category that might be called “clean items.” However, the detailed concept behind this classification remains unclear for now.

It is important to note that not all ethnic groups in Laos consider khao niew their staple food. For example, the Hmong people predominantly consume non-sticky rice. Therefore, the observations above do not universally explain hand-eating practices across Laos. Additionally, since my fieldwork has been concentrated in the plains along the Mekong River and its tributaries in the central and southern regions, my knowledge of the northern mountainous areas and ethnic minorities is limited. These gaps in understanding remain challenges for future exploration.