Description
Experience the sweet and creamy delight of Thai Mango and Sticky Rice, a traditional Thai dessert featuring glutinous rice steamed to perfection and soaked in rich coconut milk syrup, paired with fresh ripe mangoes and finished with a subtly salted coconut sauce and crunchy roasted mung beans for texture contrast.
Ingredients
Sticky Rice and Soaking Ingredients
- 1 cup white glutinous rice
- Water for soaking
Coconut Syrup
- ⅔ cup coconut milk
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon table salt
- Optional: 1 pandan leaf, tied in a knot
Salted Coconut Sauce
- ½ cup coconut milk
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon rice flour
- 1 tablespoon water
Crispy Mung Beans
- 2 tablespoons shelled and split mung beans
- Water for soaking and cooking mung beans
Fruit
- 3 sweet, ripe mangoes
Instructions
- Wash and Soak the Rice: Place the glutinous rice in a mixing bowl and cover with cold water. Vigorously swish the rice with your hand to release loose starch. Drain the cloudy water and repeat this rinsing 4 more times until the water runs mostly clear. Soak the rice in room temperature water for at least 4 hours, or overnight. If using naturally dyed water, refrigerate after 4 hours if you are not ready to steam yet.
- Prepare the Steamer and Steam Rice: Preheat your steamer by bringing water to a full boil over high heat. Drain the soaked rice thoroughly, shaking off excess water in a sieve. Line a steamer rack with a moist (not soaking) muslin cloth or thin white tea towel and place the rice onto the cloth, leaving some space around for steam. Fold edges over the rice and cover with a steamer lid. Steam rice over rapidly boiling water for 20–25 minutes until fully cooked and no longer crunchy inside.
- Make Coconut Syrup: While the rice is cooking, combine ⅔ cup coconut milk, ½ cup sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt in a small pot. Add the pandan leaf if available. Heat over medium until it just begins to bubble, then turn off heat and cover. Reheat just before the rice finishes steaming so it is hot and keep covered.
- Soak Rice in Syrup: When rice is done, immediately transfer the steamed rice to a mixing bowl and pour the hot coconut syrup over it. Stir gently to break any lumps, then cover tightly with a lid, plate, or foil and let sit for 20 minutes to absorb the syrup.
- Redistribute Syrup in Rice: After 20 minutes, fold the bottom of the rice to the top using a rubber spatula to redistribute syrup evenly. Cover and rest for another 20 minutes or until ready to serve. The rice can be kept at room temperature all day at this stage.
- Prepare Salted Coconut Sauce: Mix 1 teaspoon rice flour with 1 tablespoon water until smooth. In a small pot, combine this slurry with ½ cup coconut milk and ¼ teaspoon salt. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until boiling. Remove from heat and allow to cool completely before serving.
- Cook and Toast Mung Beans: Rinse mung beans under cold water and place them in a small pot with about 2 cups water. Bring water to a simmer over medium heat, then immediately remove pot from heat and cover for exactly 10 minutes. Drain and rinse mung beans with cold water; pat dry on paper towels. In a lightly greased sauté pan over medium-high heat, toast mung beans while stirring frequently until dry, crunchy, and lightly golden. Cool on a plate and store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
- Assemble and Serve: Peel and slice the ripe mangoes. Serve the sticky rice alongside the fresh mango slices. Spoon salted coconut sauce over the rice and sprinkle with crispy mung beans for texture and flavor contrast.
Notes
- Use white glutinous (sticky) rice for authentic texture; regular rice will not work.
- Soaking the rice helps achieve the perfect sticky texture when steamed.
- Choose ripe, fragrant mangoes such as Ataulfo or Nam Dok Mai for best sweetness and flavor.
- If you want to make colorful rice, natural coloring can be achieved by soaking the rice in butterfly pea flower water or other natural dyes, following soaking instructions and refrigerating as needed.
- Crispy mung beans add a unique crunchy texture; do not over-soak or overcook them to keep their crunchiness.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes (active) plus 4-12 hours soaking time
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Steaming
- Cuisine: Thai
