Thai Mango Sticky Rice
Glutinous rice is soaked for 4 hours and steamed — never boiled. Boiling turns it to porridge. And the sweetened coconut milk is poured over while the rice is hot, then left to rest 20 minutes so it drinks it all in.
- Prep
- 250 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Total
- 285 min
- Calories
- 420
Photo: Dennis Wong from Hong Kong, Hong Kong — CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Mango sticky rice is Thailand's most famous dessert, sold on the street through mango season. Glutinous rice saturated with sweet coconut milk, with slices of ripe mango alongside. Three ingredients, and all the success is in how the rice is cooked.
Method
-
1
Soak
Rinse the glutinous rice until the water runs clear and soak it 4 to 6 hours (or overnight). Soaking is essential — without it the core stays hard.
⏱ 245 min -
2
Steam
Drain the rice, put it in a muslin-lined steamer over boiling water and cover. 20 to 25 minutes until translucent and sticky. Turn it halfway.
⏱ 27 min -
3
The sweet sauce
Heat the coconut milk with the sugar and salt until dissolved — without boiling.
⏱ 5 min -
4
Soak the rice
Transfer the hot rice to a bowl, pour the sweet sauce over it and fold gently. Cover and leave 20 minutes until it has absorbed all the liquid.
⏱ 22 min -
5
Topping sauce
Heat the half cup of coconut milk with the starch and a pinch of salt until slightly thickened. This is the savoury sauce poured over the top.
⏱ 5 min -
6
Serve
Put a mound of rice on the plate with mango slices alongside, pour the sauce over the rice and scatter the sesame.
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Tips that actually matter
- Glutinous rice is steamed, not boiled — boiling turns it to porridge.
- Soak at least 4 hours — without it the core stays hard.
- The sauce goes on while the rice is hot — cold rice will not absorb it.
- The topping sauce is deliberately a little salty — the contrast with the sweet rice and mango is intentional.
People also ask
Can I use ordinary rice?
No — glutinous rice is an entirely different variety whose starch is all amylopectin, which is why it sticks. Ordinary rice gives a completely different result. It is sold in Asian grocers.
I have no steamer — what do I do?
A metal colander over a pot of boiling water, lined with muslin or a clean cloth, and covered. It works perfectly.
Which mango is best?
Thai mango (nam dok mai) is the original — very sweet with little fibre. Indian or Owais mango is an excellent substitute. The important thing is that it is very ripe.
Cook mode
Thai Mango Sticky Rice
-
1
Soak
Rinse the glutinous rice until the water runs clear and soak it 4 to 6 hours (or overnight). Soaking is essential — without it the core stays hard.
-
2
Steam
Drain the rice, put it in a muslin-lined steamer over boiling water and cover. 20 to 25 minutes until translucent and sticky. Turn it halfway.
-
3
The sweet sauce
Heat the coconut milk with the sugar and salt until dissolved — without boiling.
-
4
Soak the rice
Transfer the hot rice to a bowl, pour the sweet sauce over it and fold gently. Cover and leave 20 minutes until it has absorbed all the liquid.
-
5
Topping sauce
Heat the half cup of coconut milk with the starch and a pinch of salt until slightly thickened. This is the savoury sauce poured over the top.
-
6
Serve
Put a mound of rice on the plate with mango slices alongside, pour the sauce over the rice and scatter the sesame.
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