When mango season arrives, my youngest daughter knows it's time for Thai Mango Sticky Rice (ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง). Cold, ripe, mangos and warm sticky rice with a coconut sauce make such a great combo.
Every contrasting element works together - the mild sweetness with a touch of saltiness, creamy coconut with fresh mangos, warm sticky rice with chilled mangos. Yum!
Since mangos are only in season a few months out of the year, I make sure to take advantage of this recipe. It does take some prep work ahead of time but it's not difficult and it only requires a few ingredients.
It’s a foolproof dessert recipe you can use to impress your vegan or vegetarian guests!
What is Glutinous Sticky Rice?
Glutinous rice is also known as sweet rice or sticky rice. Despite the name, it's actually gluten-free. The term "glutinous" refers to the sticky quality of this type of rice. Since it has minimal starch amylose content, it causes the grains of rice to become sticky when steamed.
Sticky rice is available in short grain and long grain varieties. In general, long grain sticky rice is used more commonly in savory dishes since it tends to be more firm and less sticky. Whereas short grain glutinous rice is more tender and stickier, which works out better in this Mango Sticky Rice recipe and many other desserts.
Glutinous rice can be found in most grocery stores. When you're shopping around for sticky rice, be sure to look for the words, "glutinous rice," or "sweet rice" to be certain it's the correct one. Some rice may be described as "sticky rice" but it's not the glutinous variety we're looking for.
Best Mangos for Mango Sticky Rice
The best variety of mangos for Mango Sticky Rice are ones that are creamy and smooth and have few or no stringy fibers. Any mango on this list will work beautifully for this recipe.
- Honey Mango (aka Ataulfo Mango/Champagne Mango)
- Manila Mango
- Kent Mango
- Alphonso Mango
- Keitt Mango
Mangos are one of the main stars of this dessert so be sure they're nice and ripe for this recipe. You'll know when mangos are ready when they yield to slight pressure and have a sweet, intoxicating scent.
If you prefer a more pronounced contrast in temperature with the warm coconut rice, keep your mangos refrigerated until serving.
How to Make Thai Mango Sticky Rice
Wash the glutinous rice several times until the water runs clear. Then soak in room temperature water overnight or at least 6 hours.
Line a colander or steamer basket with cheesecloth or a thin tea towel. Drain the rice and transfer onto the cheesecloth. Spread and level out the rice but be sure not to go all the way to the edge. Leave some space to allow steam to flow freely.
With your finger, poke holes into the rice. This will allow it to cook evenly. Fold the edges of the cheesecloth over the rice. Cover and steam for 30 minutes or until tender. The rice should be slightly translucent and have a nice bite but not hard.
To make the coconut sauce, combine coconut milk, sugar and salt in a small saucepan. Turn the heat to medium and continue stirring until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Turn off the heat, cover and set aside.
Do this 5 minutes before the rice is finished cooking. We want the sauce to remain hot when mixing with the freshly steamed sticky rice.
Once the rice is fully cooked, transfer to a large mixing bowl. With a silicone spatula, stir in ⅔ of the coconut sauce until well combined. Make sure to work out any clumps of rice and evenly coat it in sauce. Save the rest of the coconut sauce for later.
Cover and let it sit for about 30 minutes to allow the rice to soak in all that lovely sauce. Stir up the rice again to redistribute the sauce that has settled to the bottom. Cover and let it sit for another 15 minutes.
In the meantime, peel and slice the mangos. Store in the refrigerator until ready to use.
To assemble Thai Mango Sticky Rice, add a serving of warm sticky rice on a plate alongside half of a sliced mango. Drizzle the reserved coconut sauce over the sticky rice and top with toasted sesame seeds.
Storing and Reheating
Once sticky rice has been incorporated with coconut sauce, it's best to consume it the same day, especially while the rice is still warm. If you do have rice leftover, you can store it in the refrigerator once it's cooled to room temperature.
To reheat, put the sticky rice in a steamer or microwave until it becomes soft again. Please be aware that the texture will no longer be the same and may become mushy. It's best to finish Mango Sticky Rice the same day so only make what you're able to finish.
Ingredients
- 2-3 ripe mangos
- ¾ standard cup (or 1 rice cup) glutinous rice
- toasted sesame seeds
Coconut Sauce
- 1 cup coconut milk
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Wash the glutinous rice until the water runs clear. Soak in water overnight or at least 6 hours.
- In a colander or steamer basket, line with cheesecloth or a thin tea towel. Drain the rice and transfer the rice onto the cheesecloth.
- Even out the rice and leave some space along the edges to allow steam to flow. Poke several holes in the rice with your finger to allow even cooking. Fold the edges of the cheesecloth over the rice.
- Cover and steam the rice for 30 minutes or until tender. The rice should appear slightly translucent and tender all the way through.
- Make the coconut sauce 5 minutes before the rice is finished cooking. In a small saucepan, heat the coconut milk, sugar and salt over medium heat. Stir continuously until the sugar and salt dissolves. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.
- When the rice is done steaming, transfer it to a large mixing bowl. Add in ⅔ of the coconut sauce. Reserve the rest for later. Mix well with a silicone spatula and work out any lumps.
- Cover and let the rice rest for 30 minutes to allow it to soak up the sauce. Give the rice another stir to redistribute the sauce that has settled to the bottom. Cover and let it rest for another 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, peel the mangos. Slice and keep in the refrigerator.
- To serve, place half a sliced mango on a plate with a side of sticky rice. Drizzle the reserved coconut sauce over the sticky rice and top with sesame seeds.
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