Ever since my trip to Thailand in January, I have been dreaming about eating mango sticky rice. However, the price of mangoes deterred me from doing so. At my local Asian supermarket, a box of mangoes cost $14.99. So you can imagine my excitement when I saw a 5 lb box of mangoes at Sam’s Club for $2! The mangoes were on the verge of being overly ripe, but I couldn’t help myself and bought four boxes. This past week, I have been mango-ed out. Peeling, chopping, and eating mangoes almost everyday. I even prepared a whole box for the freezer so I can make mango smoothies throughout the summer! I also found that frozen mangoes are really good when eaten alone. The texture remains creamy and smooth and is a much better alternative to ice cream. Thank you Sam’s Club for allowing me to make those mango recipes I have been saving up!
Here is a photo of my mango madness. I prefer yellow mangoes, like Ataulfos, over green varieties because they I find them sweeter and the seeds are smaller.
Mango sticky rice is a traditional Thai dish made with glutinous sweet rice, perfectly ripe mangoes, and coconut milk. It is one of the many snacks Thais eat throughout the day. Rather than eating three square meals a day, Thais eat small meals throughout the day. Many Thais do not cook at home because it is too hot. Besides, it is inexpensive and convenient to buy food from street vendors. Mango sticky rice is often sold by street vendors for as little 30 Baht which is equivalent to $1 USD!
The rice is traditionally soaked for hours and steamed in a bamboo basket. Because I did not have the proper materials, I just used my rice cooker. Plus, it is a lot faster because it eliminates the need to soak the rice. I used a 1:2 rice to water ratio in my original recipe, but it yielded in mushy rice. So, I reduced the water content in this updated version. Next time, I will try the steaming method.
The dish is usually topped with fried mung beans. The addition of the beans adds a crunch factor that breaks away from the stickiness of the rice and the creaminess of the mango. You can also substitute it with any kind of nut. I used pine nuts, but roughly chopped peanuts are also a good choice.
Mango Sticky Rice
1 1/2 cup glutinous sweet rice
2 cups water
1 can coconut milk
3 tb sugar, divided
3/4 tsp salt, divided
2 mangoes, sliced or diced
Toasted pine nuts or sesame seeds
1. Rinse rice in your rice cooker until water runs clear.
2. Fill rice cooker with 2 cups of water and cook.
3. While the rice is cooking, put 2/3 of the can of coconut milk into a pot. Add 2 tb sugar and 1/4 tsp salt and simmer for 5 minutes.
4. When rice is cooked, add 1 tb sugar, 1/2 tsp salt, and remaining coconut milk. Stir until combined and let rice sit for 15 minutes to absorb liquid.
5. Slice mangoes into strips or dice into cubes.
6. Serve rice with mangoes, drizzle with coconut sauce, and sprinkle sesame seeds.
Things to Note
-For the traditional method, line a steamer basket or metal colander with a cheesecloth and steam rice for 30-40 minutes. Stir rice at least twice for even cooking.
-If coconut milk is not thick enough, mix 1/2 tsp cornstarch with a little bit of water and whisk into the coconut milk while simmering.
bake me smile 