Thai Coconut Sticky Rice and Mango ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง

At a risk of causing some raised eyebrows, I am going to say this: if you can produce excellent sweet coconut sticky rice and pair it with a perfectly ripe mango of exceptional quality, the kingdom of heaven is at hand; but if you're going to fail -- even just a little -- on one component, may it be the sticky rice.

In fact, the coconut sticky rice is made to complement the mango, not the other way around. The rest of the year, this sweet coconut sticky rice is routinely made as a foil for different kinds of sweet and half-sweet-half-savory toppings. However, during the months of April through June when mangoes are at their best in Thailand, the same coconut sticky rice, which usually borders on being taken for granted, all of a sudden shows up all over town with big smiles that cannot be wiped off its sticky face now that it's paired with mangoes at their peak.

It takes some practice to get the sticky rice part right, but when you pair it with the best mango, any shortcomings easily fade away. Tart, unripe, fibrous, tasteless mango, on the other hand, can ruin even the best quality coconut sticky rice.

Mango and Thai Sweet Coconut Sticky Rice (ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง )
(Serves 2)
Downloadable Version


1/2 cup raw sticky rice, soaked for 10 minutes, drained, and rinsed to get rid of excess starch
1/2 cup good coconut milk
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
One perfectly ripe good mango, peeled and cut into thick slices

[Note: As you can see, my favorite ratio for sweet coconut sticky rice is very easy to remember - 1 part raw sticky rice, 1 part coconut milk, 1 part sugar, and one pinch of salt for every half cup of sticky rice. This recipe is for two servings. If you make this for a larger crowd, adjust accordingly.]

[Okay, one more note: Traditionally, coconut sticky rice is topped with a dollop of coconut cream that has been slightly thickened with rice flour. The topping is made to be a little bit on the salty side in order to bring out the sweetness of the rice. To eliminate one extra step of making the topping, I've made my sweet sticky rice as if it has the topping already mixed in. The texture of the end product is a little softer and wetter than what you would find on the streets of Bangkok, though not nearly as moist as rice pudding.]

Put the rice in a heatproof bowl and steam in a steamer, over medium heat, for about 20 minutes (based on one half cup of rice). The rice should be cooked through with no hard, raw bits in the middle of the grains. You can also steam the rice using the splatter guard method.

Turn off the heat and let the rice stay in the steamer, with the lid on, while you prepare the coconut milk.

In a heatproof bowl, heat the coconut milk, sugar, and salt in the microwave on high for 2 minutes. The sugar should completely dissolve and the mixture should be very hot.

Take the sticky rice out of the steamer. Pour the hot coconut mixture on top of the rice and gently stir. (It may look like your rice is drowned in coconut water, but the liquid will all be absorbed.) Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let the mixture stand at room temperature, undisturbed, for half an hour.

The coconut sticky rice is to be served at room temperature along with fresh mango. The sesame seeds are optional.

The rice can be refrigerated and reheated in the microwave, but the texture of reheated sticky rice isn't as good as it is when freshly made. Freezing sticky rice is not recommended.

[Added June 26th, 2011: I made a batch of the sweet coconut sticky rice with palm sugar several days ago, because I ran out of white sugar. This is not what is normally done in Thailand, and I'd never done it this way before. You need to increase the amount of the sugar a little as palm sugar is not as sweet as white sugar (replace 1/2 cup white sugar in the recipe with 3/4 cup (packed) shaved palm sugar), and eventually -- as you can see in the image above -- you end up with beige-colored sweet sticky rice which some may consider not as appetizing. But, oh, my goodness, is this good.]


Related Posts:
Just What Is Thai Sticky Rice?
Chaokoh: My Favorite Brand of Coconut Milk
Choose the Right Mangoes for Your Thai Mango Coconut Sticky Rice
How to Peel and Slice a Ripe Mango