A dessert that needs no introduction - mango sticky rice! Made in the most authentic way possible while being outside of Thailand but without any added sugar. It's one of the most comforting treats, sweet but not too sweet, creamy, and velvety, with a little crunchiness from the crispy mung beans.
When it comes to international recognition and popularity among Asian desserts, few can compete with mango sticky rice, if any. And for good reasons. It is such a beauty-in-simplicity kind of dish, gorgeous tropical vibes, sweet and comforting taste, and no fuss, simple to make and easy to eat.
There are very few ingredients in this entire dish and the three main ones are of course, mango, sticky rice, and coconut milk. For the mango, a fresh and ripe Thai mango is definitely the ideal choice but it can be hard to find outside of Thailand and Southeast Asia, so if you live in North America like me, the second closest thing is the Ataulfo mango, which has a similar soft, velvety, and no-string texture and is the only acceptable alternative to Thai mango in my opinion.
The regular big mangoes that are most commonly find in pretty much any grocery store, well yes you can use those, but they are way too fibrous and the texture is too firm for this dish, plus the flavor is also different.
And the heart and soul that ties this dessert together is - coconut milk. We will make two coconut milk sauces, one is to macerate the sticky rice in for the glistening shine and aroma; the other will be condensed for serving.
Watch the video below for the entire process and if you have any other questions come find me on Instagram and Tiktok.
INGREDIENTS:
*makes 2 dessert servings
1 - 2 ripe Thai mango or Ataulfo mango
2 tablespoon split mung beans, optional
For the Sticky Rice
1 rice cook cup sticky rice, 3/4 US cup
1/2 cup coconut milk from a can
2 - 3 tablespoon pure monk fruit extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Condensed coconut sauce for serving
1/2 cup coconut milk from a can
2 tablespoon pure monk fruit extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon arrowroot powder or rice flour
1 tablespoon water
TO MAKE:
- Rinse the sticky rice with cold water as many times as it takes for the water to come out clear, this is to get rid of all the excess starch to ensure the best texture;
- Soak the rice in enough water for at least 6 hours, or overnight, I find prepping the soaking the rice the night before the easiest;
- When rice is done soaking, drain well, line a steaming drawer with a muslin cloth or cheesecloth, and place the rice in the middle, fold up the edgest of the cheesecloth to cover it, make sure the cloth is not covering the entire bottom of steaming drawer, there needs to be uncovered holes and space for the steam to come up;
- Cover the steaming drawer and bring the water to boil, once you see steam starts to come out, let it steam for 25 - 30 minutes;
- Meanwhile, in the sauce pan, mix together the coconut sauce ingredients for the sticky rice, stir over low heat and make sure everything is well dissolved, cover and keep it hot;
- When the rice is done steaming, quickly transfer the rice and hot coconut sauce to a bowl, stir to mix evenly, then cover and let it sit for 20 minutes, and stir again go all the way to the bottom of the rice and fold it to the top, cover and let it sit for another 20 minutes;
- While waiting for the rice, make the condensed coconut sauce, in a sauce pan combine the coconut milk, monk fruit, and salt, stir to dissolve;
- Combine the arrowroot powder and water in a separate dish, then stir into the coconut mixture, continue to heat over low heat until the sauce is thickened to your preferred consistence, remove from heat;
- If making the crispy mung beans, rinse the split mung beans, then add to a small pot with enough water to cover them;
- Bring to a gentle boil and let it simmer for 5 minutes;
- Drain and rinse the beans with some cold water, then toss onto a nonstick pan and toast over medium heat, shake the pan and stir frequently until the beans dry up and become crispy;
- When ready to serve, peel and slice the mango, add the sticky rice to a plate, place on the sliced mango, drizzle on some condensed coconut milk sauce, and sprinkle with crispy mung beans, enjoy!
