Mango Sticky Rice
Sweet coconut sticky rice with ripe mango and a salty coconut cream
- Serves
- 4
- Hands-on
- Total
- Level
- Some skill
Steamed glutinous rice soaked in warm, sweet coconut milk, served with slices of ripe mango and a spoonful of thick, slightly salty coconut cream. It is simple but depends on two things: the right rice, soaked and steamed, and a properly ripe mango.
Ingredients
Rice
- 300 gThai glutinous (sticky) rice (1½ cups)not jasmine or sushi rice
- 1 canfull-fat coconut milk (400 ml) (14 oz can)about 250 ml for the rice, 150 ml for the topping; shake well
- 80 gsugar (⅓ cup + 1 tbsp)palm sugar or white
- 4 gfine sea salt (¾ tsp)divided
Topping
- 5 gcornstarch or rice flour (1½ tsp)mixed with 1 tbsp water
- 10 gsugar (2 tsp)
- 2large ripe mangoes (about 900 g)fragrant and yielding to gentle pressure
- 10 gtoasted sesame seeds or crispy mung beans (1 tbsp)optional
- Diet
- Vegetarian, Vegan, Gluten-free, Dairy-free
- Allergens
- sesame
- Origin
- Thailand
- Season
- Spring, Summer
Method
- Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until it runs nearly clear. Cover with plenty of cold water and soak at least 4 hours, or overnight.
- Drain. Line a steamer basket (or a sieve set over a pot of simmering water, not touching it) with a damp muslin or cheesecloth. Spread the rice in an even layer and cover with the lid.
- Steam over boiling water for 20–25 minutes, turning the rice over once halfway, until the grains are translucent, tender and chewy all the way through.
- While it steams, warm 250 ml of the coconut milk with the 80 g sugar and 3 g of the salt, stirring until dissolved. Don't boil.
- Tip the hot rice into a bowl, pour over the sweet coconut milk and stir gently. Cover and rest 20 minutes; the rice absorbs it and turns glossy.
- For the topping, warm the remaining 150 ml coconut milk with the 10 g sugar and remaining 1 g salt. Stir in the starch mixture and simmer, stirring, for 1 minute until thickened like cream.
- Peel the mangoes and slice the cheeks off the stone, then slice them thinly. Serve a mound of warm rice beside the mango, spoon over the salty coconut cream and scatter with sesame seeds.
Why it works
Glutinous rice contains almost only amylopectin, a branched starch that becomes sticky and chewy when cooked, rather than fluffy. Soaking lets water penetrate each grain so steaming cooks them evenly without them turning to mush, as boiling would. Hot rice absorbs the sweetened coconut milk readily, and a little salt in both coconut mixtures sharpens the sweetness and the mango's flavor.
Common mistakes
- Using the wrong rice. Only glutinous rice gives the right texture.
- Skipping the soak; the grains stay hard in the middle.
- Underripe mango. If it isn't fragrant and soft, wait a day or two.
Variations
- Pandan
- Tie 2 pandan leaves in a knot and warm them with the coconut milk for a grassy, vanilla-like aroma.
- Other fruit
- Out of mango season, serve with ripe papaya or sliced fresh pineapple.
Make ahead and storage
Best served warm within a few hours. Soaked raw rice can be drained and kept in the fridge a day before steaming. Leftover rice hardens in the fridge; resteam for 5 minutes to soften.
Notes
Despite its name, glutinous rice contains no gluten. If you have no steamer, cook the soaked, drained rice in a covered heatproof bowl with 150 ml water in the microwave for 3-minute bursts, stirring between, for about 9–10 minutes. Sesame is listed only because of the optional garnish; use crispy mung beans or leave it off for a sesame-free dessert.
