Although at first glance this dish can be mistaken for a Thai Sticky rice, this is not “it”. Not in the traditional way, at least.
First of all, I haven’t used Thai sticky rice to make my sticky dessert. Also, I haven’t added any sugar at all. I am so tempted to classify this recipe as a skinny version of the famous Thai dessert featuring coconut milk and rice. No, I’m not going to do it because who knows how many calories are in this dish even though I skipped the sugar (side note: I think as bloggers we use the words “healthy” and “skinny” too easily).
I could have used glutinous rice if I wanted to stick with the original recipe (a rice I spotted a few times at the local shops in my neighborhood in London) however I was intrigued by the idea of not going out for shopping and use what my pantry offered me, instead. My motto in the kitchen is “let’s see if it works”.
Have I told you that I’m having a big Thai cuisine moment? These are for me the days of “job hunting” and Pad Thai (I’m in the process of improving both).
Frankly, my first attempt at making the popular stir-fried noodles was quite a disappointment. I might have confused sticky noodle with sticky rice. Have you ever eaten collagenous rice noodles? You stick the fork in the plate and get the noodles all glued together in one single big cluster. Meh, the recipe deserved better fate.
I succeeded at making a good sticky rice, instead. All in all, the cooking procedure is similar to the one to make sushi rice.
A good sticky rice although the type of rice I used is not typically found in the traditional Thai dessert. Although I just added a bit of honey at the end (never cook honey!) and no sugar. Too many “although” to be good? Well, not really. I truly liked this coco-nutty dish and I’m willing to make it again this way (I might use full fat coconut milk next time).
Little confession: this was my lunch today. What happened to all the veggie I’m supposed to eat because they’re good for me and blablabla? I though to start the meal “upside-down”. WRONG! Nobody should ever start a meal with sweets (even though these sweets do not contain much sugar). It’s dangerous. I still feel full now. Maybe not THAT full. I’m rather full for anything but desserts.
Do you ever eat sweets as your main meal? I feel a bit guilty now and it would help knowing that I’m not alone…
My Mango Sticky Rice
Ingredients
- 1 cup Thai Sweet Rice or 'glutinous rice available at Asian food stores
- 1 ripe mangos
- 3 Tbsp. brown sugar or honey
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
- water
- salt
Instructions
- Soak the rice in 1 cup water for 20-30 minutes (the longer, the better)
- Add 1/2 cup more water, 1/2 can coconut milk, a pinch of salt, and 1 Tbsp. brown sugar. Stir well.
- Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce the heat and keep cooking in the pan partially covered with a lid.
- Simmer for 15 minutes, or until coconut-water has been absorbed by the rice.
- Turn off the heat and keep the pan with the lid on tight. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.
- To make the sauce, warm (do not boil) the rest of the can of coconut milk over medium-low heat (5 minutes). Add 2 Tbsp. sugar (or honey like I did), stirring to dissolve.
- When ready to serve, prepare the mango by slicing it open (it's up to you if you like the mango diced or sliced). Place the warm rice in a little bowl (you could also use your hands to shape it) press it and then upend it on the serving plate. Add the mango on top or on the side, like I did. Drizzle lots of the sweet coconut sauce over. Garnish with fresh mint (optional) and serve.
Looks tasty
Which coconut milk do you use?
The canned one that separates or just regular coconut milk?
The one and only time I have ever eaten Thai stick rice with mango was actually in Thailand… and oh my gosh, it was yummy! I had originally thought that anything with rice could not be seriously classified as dessert, but I was oh so wrong.
YUM! I havent ever attempted making my own sticky rice – what a great idea to combine it with mango!
Ah rice! I cannot even remember the last time I had any. When I could eat it, I wish I was far more experimental, as opposed to ONLY liking white rice! #fail
Love sticky rice! Your photography is absolutely stunning! Bookmarking the recipe to try out!
You know, I too used to think it was so silly that people made up this arbitrary rule of eating desserts last when it’s what everyone wants to eat first anyway. Little did I realize that there’s an absolute reason for it & it’s just science. You just don’t eat sweets first like that. It really puts you off an appetite & you don’t feel too great. You just don’t even want anything to eat after it.
I love mango sticky rice! I’m not sure if I would make it with regular Jasmine rice though, it has to be used with that glutinous rice because the texture…it’s all about the texture. I love cooking with honey actually & it’s used in a lot of ethnic recipes! I always add it in the end though. But anyway, to ween myself off honey (I love it, but I know there are ethical concerns over it), I’m going more for the agave & maple syrup instead. Plant based food is best after all!
As for your Pad Thai mishap, don’t worry, I understand completely. The trick is to take out a good chunk of the dry rice noodles & place it in a large bowl of cold water. Just let the noodles sit there for about 30 minutes soaking the water so that it softens up. When you’ve got your wok going with the vegetables, add the rice noodles after & then add the tamarind sauce. You want to keep cooking it until the sauce evaporates so it’s not sticky noodle!
Thanks for the tips about Pad Thai. I really look forward to trying out the recipe again, this time implementing your tips. I eat honey and this is the main reason why I’m not vegan (I am not a big egg or cheese eater). I reckon agave is a great option, though. It goes straight to my shopping list.
I’ve never tried mango stick rice but you make it look so good that I would be perfectly fine eating it for lunch!
By the way, you know you are the master of food photography, right? When are you going to release a how-to ebook?
When? Probably when you’ll reveal your photography tips, Sarah 🙂 🙂 Thanks for your compliments, it makes me smile.
I find my photography too strongly dependent on the light conditions. I would be a proud “food photographer” if I was able to shoot in any situation, taking advantage of shadows and overcast skies.
My most fav Thai dessert. I’ve turned my 3yr old to a mango sticky rice fan too. I have thought of using the regular rice to make it a few times, but never got around it. Now with your recommendation, I should give it a try making at home. Have you tried it by sprinkling some toasted sesame seeds over the rice?
I understand using regular rice is not the best choice for a traditional sticky rice, that’s why in the recipe I suggested to use glutinous rice. I liked it the way I made it but yes, mine was “the unconventional sticky rice”. I have some black sesame seeds, I’ll add them to the finished rice next time!
This looks FABulous! I’ve never made sticky rice before – but this could change all that, because it looks delish. And your photography – divine!
YUM!! This looks so good!! Beautiful photography!! I love rice pudding… so this looks quite tasty!! 🙂 Very pretty!
Never tried sticky mango rice before but your recipe is for sure worth trying.
It looks so “clean” and delightful, kitchen minimalism at its best.
Looks absolutely delicious! I love Thai food 😀
Me too it’s so good
One of my fave Thai desserts! So scrumptious.
Cheers,
Rosa
so delicious & yummy . i really like that .
My mom made this all the time for us when we were little! Only the rice was never so uniform. Thanks for sharing!
Love sticky rice! I have never had mango with sticky rice before, definitely a flavour combination that I need to try out. Thanks for the recipe!
Looks delicious! I love mango sticky rice but don’t make it too often because it’s usually so full of sugar. Love your lightened-up version.
Thanks, your recipe is mouthwatering. I am not really good at cooking but you are a great inspiration!