Coconut sticky rice with fresh mango
My favourite classic Thai dessert, coconut flavoured sticky rice with a sweet coconut sauce and fresh mango
I first learnt how to make this dessert the traditional way in a bamboo steamer when taking part in a cookery class in Thailand and it is quite a slow process. I am far too impatient for that now and this version which I found on The Spruce Eats yields the same delicious result but is faster to make and doesn’t require the faff of a steamer. I have adapted that recipe here.
To do this dessert justice, ripe, juicy mangoes are essential. There aren’t many ingredients really so the quality of the mangoes are key. If you don’t have good ones, then make this dessert another time when you do.
The second key thing which is a little trickier to master is to balance the flavour of the rice in terms of sweet vs salty. You could just go sweet but a hint of salt takes this dessert to an entirely new level. I have indicated what I think gives a great balance of flavour in the ingredients below but you might want to taste a little as you go along to get it just right for you.
Serves 2
Time 1 hour
Ingredients
½ cup sticky rice/ glutinous rice
1 cup of water
200ml coconut milk (I used light but you can use full fat too)
¼ tsp salt less a small dash
2 tbsp sugar - brown sugar tastes better but it darkens the colour of the rice and the sauce and it doesn’t look quite as appetising. White sugar makes the dish look nicer, the rice stays clean and bright looking but you don’t get the same slightly caramelly flavour you get with brown sugar. As a compromise I usually go for about half and half but use whatever you prefer.
1 ripe mango
Method
Rinse the sticky rice in cold water several times until the water becomes more or less clear. This removes excess starch. Soak the rice in the pan you intend to cook with in ½ a cup of water and leave for about 30 minutes.
Do not drain the rice, instead simply add another ¼ of a cup of water, plus 100ml of the coconut milk, the salt and ½ a tablespoon of sugar.
Stir and place on the heat and bring to a boil. Partially place the lid on the pan such that the heat is trapped but some steam can still escape. Reduce the heat to low so the rice is gently simmering.
Simmer for about 15 minutes until the liquid is absorbed in to the rice.
Place the lid fully on the pan and turn off the heat. Let the rice sit for 5-10 minutes, the residual heat will finish off the cooking process and give the rice a chance to settle.
Meanwhile make the sauce, which could not be an easier task. Simply place the remaining coconut milk in a small pan over low to medium heat so it does not boil. Add the rest of the sugar, about 1 and a half tablespoons, though adjust to your taste. The sauce should be a bit sweeter than you’d like in the finished dish. It won’t taste as sweet once poured over the rice and with the mango. Leave to warm for about 5 minutes and stir from time to time.
Peel and slice the mango and add to your serving bowl.
Add a big scoop of the coconut rice then drizzle the sauce on top generously.
I like to finish off the dish with a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
