Thai Mango Sticky Rice (Printer View)

Ripe mango and creamy coconut-infused sticky rice combine for a sweet and satisfying treat.

# Components:

→ Sticky Rice

01 - 1 cup glutinous (sweet) rice
02 - Water, sufficient for soaking and steaming

→ Coconut Sauce

03 - 1 cup full-fat coconut milk
04 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt

→ Mango

06 - 2 large ripe mangoes, peeled and sliced

→ Garnish

07 - 2 tablespoons coconut cream (optional)
08 - 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds or mung beans (optional)

# Method:

01 - Rinse the glutinous rice under cold running water until clear. Soak in water for at least 4 hours or overnight.
02 - Drain the soaked rice and steam it in a cheesecloth-lined steamer basket for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tender.
03 - Combine coconut milk, granulated sugar, and salt in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves without boiling.
04 - Transfer steamed rice to a mixing bowl. Pour in three-quarters of the coconut sauce and gently stir to coat evenly. Cover and let absorb for 10 to 15 minutes.
05 - Peel and slice the ripe mangoes into serving pieces.
06 - Serve sticky rice mounded on plates with sliced mango alongside. Drizzle remaining coconut sauce on top and garnish with coconut cream and toasted sesame seeds or mung beans if desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The rice becomes creamy without any cream—just coconut milk and time doing the work.
  • You'll taste why this dessert survived centuries: ripe mango and coconut are a conversation that never gets old.
  • It's vegetarian and gluten-free, which means everyone at your table gets to have this moment.
02 -
  • The rice must be eaten within a few hours of assembly—refrigeration hardens it into something that tastes like disappointment, so plan to serve this fresh.
  • If your rice seems dry after it rests, add a splash more warm coconut milk; every pot and stove is different, and rice can be thirsty.
  • Ripe mango is non-negotiable—a hard mango won't sing, and this dish deserves mangoes that smell like summer.
03 -
  • If you can't find glutinous rice, don't try to substitute—the dish depends on that specific starch to become creamy, and regular rice will never get there.
  • Taste the coconut sauce before you pour it on the rice; it should be sweet but not cloying, and the salt should be invisible, just rounding out the flavor.
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