Sticky Rice With Mango Recipe Easy Thai Dessert

I love mangoes in every shape and form. So, when sweet ripe summer mangoes are in season I go all out and buy them in bulk. Here is one of the most popular dessert from Thai cuisine, sticky rice and mango. It is an easy to make dish that is absolutely delicious and is one of my absolute favorite summer treat. With the seasons best mangoes in the market right now, this is a perfect dish to make with a few of them. I adapted the recipe from Thai vegetarian cookbook. I use ingredients easily available in local US grocery stores. But I have provided information on the traditionally used ingredients as well.

Ingredients

This sticky rice with mango recipe needs just a handful of ingredients. Traditionally this recipe is made with glutinous, sweet or sticky rice. It is a long-grain rice that is a main staple in most parts of Thailand. It is available in Asian grocery stores. I have included instructions on how to cook sticky rice below. Though not traditional, I used Jasmine rice instead because this is more widely available. It is fragrant and works beautifully in this recipe. Fresh mangoes are the most important ingredient for this recipe. Sweet, ripe mangoes are essential for this dessert. So make sure to choose the best quality fruit that you can find. Coconut milk adds nuttiness to the dish. Use regular and not-lite for the best texture. Cornstarch is add creaminess to the dish. You can use coconut cream instead of coconut milk and cornstarch. Palm sugar made from the sap of palm trees. It has a distinctive flavor and a light brown color. Asian and well stocked grocery stores carry this. I used regular granulated sugar instead because it is another easily available ingredient. Pandan extract adds a sweet floral fragrance to the dessert. Thais use it instead of vanilla in their cooking. But pure vanilla extract is a great alternative to use in this recipe.

Instructions

Cook rice: Combine rice and water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil on medium-high heat. Lower the heat, cover and cook till the rice is cooked till tender. While rice is cooking, combine coconut milk with sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Cook until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture is hot. Pour half of the hot coconut milk over the hot cooked rice. Cover and set aside for 10~15 minutes. Now mix the rice with the coconut milk, cover again and set aside to cool completely. Whisk cornstarch with water into a smooth slurry. Bring the remaining half of the coconut milk mixture to a boil. Stir in the cornstarch slurry and cook until it starts to thicken, about 2~3 minutes. Add vanilla extract and mix well. When ready to serve, place the cooled rice on the serving plate. Top it with the chopped mangoes and drizzle the thick coconut milk sauce on top. Serve immediately.

How to cook Sticky or Glutinous rice

The best way to prepare sticky is to soak it overnight or for at least 3 hours in cold water. Use the ratio 1:3 (rice:water). Drain the rice and steam in a bamboo or regular steamer lined with cheesecloth for 15~20 minutes or until tender.