Ingredients
1 c. glutinous sweet rice
1 1/2 c. water
1 (13.5-oz.) can coconut milk, divided
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 c. granulated sugar
2 large mangoes, peeled and cubed
Toasted sesame seeds
Preparation
Step 1Using a fine mesh strainer, rinse rice. Add rice and the 1 1/2 cups water to a medium pot and let soak for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Step 2Add 1 cup coconut milk and salt to rice and bring pot to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low heat. Simmer, covered with lid slightly ajar, until rice is tender and liquid has been fully absorbed, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove from heat and cover completely. Let sit for 5 minutes. Step 3Meanwhile, in another medium pot over medium heat, heat remaining coconut milk and sugar together, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat. Step 4Place rice on serving dish with mango. Pour sauce over rice and top with sesame seeds. Sticky rice can be served warm or at room temperature.
To make this recipe, you must use sweet, glutinous rice, as it contains a higher ratio of amylopectin starches than plain white rice does. Once cooked, instead of being fluffy, the glutinous rice is sticky and chewy. There are short-grain and long-grain varieties of sticky rice, and while long-grain is the preferred traditional variety, either type will work here to give you delicious results. Don’t let the word “glutinous” fool you though—this dessert is completely gluten-free, as “glutinous” is only a descriptor of the texture of the cooked rice and not alluding to the presence of the wheat protein known as gluten. As there are only a handful of ingredients in this recipe, make sure you are choosing all the best versions when shopping. We recommend going always with canned coconut milk—the fewer stabilizers the better—because canned coconut milk tends to be richer and more concentrated in terms of fat and flavor than carton-packed versions. When selecting your mango, give it a sniff: if it smells fragrant, it’s more likely to be perfectly ripened and will taste just as good as it smells once cut and plated. Traditional versions of mango sticky rice use a steaming process for the rice, but we have adapted this recipe method to be accessible to those of us who might not have a steamer at home. Instead, we cook the coconut milk straight into the rice in a one-pot process, leading to a double layer of coconut goodness. Additionally, we have substituted the traditional palm sugar with granulated sugar, but if you have palm sugar available, simply use an equal amount (or, to taste, if you’d prefer a less sweet or more sweet end result). The dish is so refreshing and cooling after a spicy Thai dish, making it a great dessert to have anytime. You can also make it ahead of time as it’s good whether served cold, room temperature, or warm. Heat the coconut milk and sugar when you are ready to serve the rice so that the sauce is always poured over while warm. Once you’ve made it, drop us a comment down below and let us know your thoughts!
