Thai Mango Sticky Rice or Khao niew ma muang is a staple sweet desert from Thailand. It is available in many provinces in Thailand and you will find slight regional variations in making this decadently sweet dessert. This normally comes down to the amount of sugar and the coconut milk.
Even if you are visiting the floating markets in Bangkok you will find a Thai Mango Sticky Rice stall, and you must visit.
The key to making Thai Mango Sticky Rice is all in the rice and the preparation of it.
The rice must be steamed and not boiled. The bamboo steamer and a steamer pot are made specifically for this purpose.
Sticky rice is also a particular type of rice and generally, you can easily find this in an Asian market or grocery store, particularly a Thai store.
The combination of coconut and mango goes really well together.
Photo courtesy of Avi Paz used under the Creative Commons Licence
Ingredients
Contents
1 ½ cups sticky rice
1 ½ cups canned or fresh coconut milk
½ cup palm sugar
½ teaspoon salt
2 ripe mangoes
It is traditional to garnish mango sticky rice with mint or basil and some nuts or black sesame seeds for crunch and contrast.
Preparation
Step 1: Place rice in a bowl. Cover with cold water. Set aside overnight to soak. The longer it soaks the better, Drain. Line the base of a bamboo steamer. If you want authenticity then line it with a banana leaf. Spread rice over the banana leaf and place over a saucepan of simmering water. Steam, covered, for 25-30 minutes or until rice is tender and translucent. Cook, by STEAMING NOT BOLING in the bamboo steamer.
Step 2: While the rice is cooking, heat the coconut milk in a saucepan and heat on low-medium heat until it is hot, but do not let it boil. Remove from heat, and gently whisk in the sugar and add salt.
Step 3: When the rice is cooked, transfer it to a bowl. Pour 3/4 cup of the coconut milk mixture over the rice; keep the rest to the side. Stir to ensure the rice and milk are evenly mixed, then let it sit for 20-30 minutes to allow it to absorb the milk and let the flavors blend.
Step 4: Divide the rice among serving plates. Shape each portion into a 2cm-thick disc or however your creative juices take you. Top with fresh mango slices. Spoon over the remaining coconut milk.
Flavours and textures are what make Thai Mango Sticky Rice so loved the world over.
That’s it. Sounds easy? It really is but it really isn’t. Correct rice, soak for quite a while, steam – don’t boil. Figure out how much palm sugar suits your taste buds. It can be a very very sweet desert.
Let me know how you go with this amazing Thai Mango Sticky Rice dish.
See other favorite Thai posts like Pad Thai or Tom Yum, Life on the streets in Bangkok,
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The only dessert worth having in Thailand! I love this but have never made it as we live in Thailand so just buy ours from the market. If we ever find ourselves back in the UK, however, I think I’ll be buying the rice in bulk!
I envy you just being able to walk out the door and but mango sticky rice.
Yum! What a great recipe to share. I really need to track down a bamboo steamer!
Any Asian food store have plenty of bamboo steamers. Good luck
I must try, it’s one of the dishes from Thailand we miss the most. Thanks for the recipe and tips 🙂
Definitely try it Franca, it is easy if you get the rice done right.
One of the best desserts ever! And it’s so easy to cook!
True, it is decadent and as long as you get the rice done correctly, really easy.
Rice, mango, coconut milk and sugar – how can that be anything other than wonderful. I have to try it,
It is very good, though you need to adjust the sugar to your own taste.