Sticky rice by the hot-soak method

Bring plenty of water to a full boil; meanwhile wash the sticky rice, swishing it aggressively by hand to remove loose starch, three to four times until the water runs mostly clear.

Drain well and put the rice in a heatproof bowl; pour the boiling water over to half an inch to an inch above the rice, stir to break up lumps, and soak 20 minutes.

While it soaks, set up the steamer: a basic steaming rack lined with a wet thin cloth, or soak a bamboo sticky rice steamer basket so the rice does not stick.

After 20 minutes, rinse the rice with cold water to remove the starch released during soaking, and drain; it can wait until needed.

About half an hour before serving, put the rice in the steamer with a hole in the middle so it cooks faster (on a rack, leave space around it for the steam).

Steam over boiling water 20 to 30 minutes depending on the amount; in a bamboo cone steamer, flip it at about 15 minutes, break it up to expose the middle, and steam another 10 minutes.