Tulo

Mango Sticky Rice Recipe

Warm, sweet coconut sticky rice served with ripe sliced mango, a classic Thai dessert of glutinous rice steamed and soaked in coconut milk.
Photo by Princess Grace on Pexels

Steaming the glutinous rice rather than boiling it keeps the grains from turning to mush, and letting the hot cooked rice soak in warm sweetened coconut milk lets it absorb the liquid fully instead of just coating the outside.

Prep
15 min
Cook
30 min
Total
300 min
Servings
4

Ingredients

Servings4
  • 1 1/2 cups Thai glutinous (sticky) rice
  • 1 3/4 cups full-fat coconut milk, divided
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 large ripe mangoes, peeled and sliced
  • 1 tsp cornstarch
  • 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds or mung beans, for garnish

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Instructions

  1. 1Rinse the glutinous rice in several changes of water until it runs mostly clear, then soak in plenty of water for at least 4 hours or overnight.
  2. 2Drain the rice well and line a steamer basket with cheesecloth or a thin cotton cloth.
  3. 3Steam the rice over simmering water for 25-30 minutes, until translucent and tender, flipping it once halfway through for even cooking.
  4. 4While the rice steams, warm 1.5 cups of the coconut milk with the sugar and salt in a saucepan over low heat, stirring until dissolved, do not boil.
  5. 5Transfer the hot cooked rice to a bowl and pour about three-quarters of the warm coconut milk mixture over it, stirring gently to combine.
  6. 6Cover and let the rice sit for 15-20 minutes, allowing it to absorb the coconut milk, reserve the rest of the coconut sauce.
  7. 7Whisk the cornstarch into the remaining plain coconut milk and warm gently in a small saucepan until just slightly thickened, this becomes the topping sauce.
  8. 8To serve, scoop the sweetened sticky rice onto plates alongside sliced mango, drizzle with the thickened coconut sauce, and sprinkle with sesame seeds or mung beans.

Tips & variations

  • Glutinous rice, also labeled sweet rice or sticky rice, is a different variety from regular short-grain rice, don't substitute regular rice, it won't get the right texture.
  • No steamer, a rice cooker with a steaming tray or a metal colander set over a pot of simmering water both work as substitutes.
  • Black glutinous rice makes a striking, nuttier variation, though it needs a slightly longer soak and steam time.
  • Ataulfo or honey mangoes are especially good here for their low fiber and high sweetness, though any ripe, sweet mango works.

Storage & reheating

Best served the day it's made, glutinous rice firms up noticeably once refrigerated. If needed, store the rice and mango separately, covered, up to 2 days, and reheat the rice in the microwave with a splash of coconut milk or water to loosen it before serving.

Nutrition

A sweet, coconut-rich dessert, the mango adds natural sweetness and the glutinous rice provides most of the carbohydrate content.

Tips from the Tulo kitchen

  • Choose mangoes that give slightly to gentle pressure and smell fragrant at the stem end, an underripe mango will taste too tart against the sweet rice.
  • Keep the coconut sauce warm but not hot when pouring it over the rice, warm liquid absorbs more evenly than cold, and rice that's too hot can seize slightly when hit with cold liquid.

FAQ

Can I use regular rice instead of glutinous rice?

No, regular rice doesn't have the same starch structure and won't turn sticky and chewy the way glutinous rice does, look for rice labeled sweet rice or sticky rice specifically.

Do I need a rice cooker or bamboo steamer?

A dedicated steamer basket works well, but a metal colander or sieve set over a pot of simmering water, covered with a lid, gets the job done just as effectively.

Why is my sticky rice still hard in the center?

This almost always means the rice wasn't soaked long enough before steaming, aim for a minimum of 4 hours, and overnight if you have the time.

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