What is the Thai name for jasmine rice?

The Thai name for jasmine rice is Khao Hom Mali. The phrase is commonly translated as “fragrant jasmine rice,” although the rice is named for its aroma and pale, slender grains rather than for a botanical connection to jasmine flowers.

Khao Hom Mali is a fragrant long-grain rice belonging to the species Oryza sativa. Its characteristic scent is associated especially with 2-acetyl-1-pyrroline, an aroma compound also found in pandan leaves and popcorn. When cooked, the grains become soft and moist, with some cling, but they are less sticky than glutinous rice.

The best-known Thai cultivar is Khao Dawk Mali 105, often shortened to Hom Mali or Khao Hom Mali. It was selected in Thailand from a fragrant rice sample known as Sample 105 during the mid-20th century. Production is strongly associated with northeastern Thailand, including the Thung Kula Rong Hai region.

A common mix-up is treating jasmine rice as the same thing as sticky rice, or khao niew. Sticky rice has a much higher proportion of amylopectin and a distinctly more adhesive texture. Jasmine rice is also not limited to Thailand: Cambodia, Laos, and Vietnam grow related aromatic varieties.