Mango Sticky Rice is a popular Thai dessert made with sticky rice, sweet ripe mangoes and coconut sauce. Traditionally, it is prepared with Thai glutinous rice that is soaked and steamed until chewy and sticky. The rice is infused with sweetened coconut milk and served with fresh mango slices. This homemade recipe is simple to make and perfect for mango season.

Recipe Snapshot

  • Prep time: 60 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Total time: 90 minutes
  • Yield: 4
  • Category: Desserts
  • Cuisine: Thai, World

Ingredients

  • 1 cup/200 grams Thai sticky rice ((glutinous rice))
  • 1½ cups hot water (– for soaking)
  • 4 cups/1 litre water (– for steaming)
  • 3 tablespoons sugar (or add as required)
  • 1 cup coconut milk ((canned or thick coconut milk))
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon tapioca starch (or ¾ teaspoon cornstarch (cornflour))
  • 2 to 3 mangoes (– ripe and sweet)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame seeds (– toasted, white or black)

Method

Preparing Sticky Rice

  1. Rinse the rice several times until the water becomes less cloudy.
  2. Soak the rice in hot water for about 1 hour.
  3. Drain and rinse again twice or thrice to remove excess starch. Using a mesh strainer, drain the rice very well.
  4. Place the rice in a muslin-lined steamer or metal strainer.
  5. Bring water to a boil in a large pot.
  6. Place the muslin-lined steamer over the pot once steady steam is visible and cover with a tight-fitting lid.
  7. Steam for about 20 to 22 minutes or until the grains are glossy, sticky and translucent.
  8. Remove from the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 5 minutes.
  9. Transfer the cooked sticky rice to a mixing bowl.

Preparing Coconut Milk Mixture

  1. Heat coconut milk with sugar on low heat until the sugar dissolves.
  2. Add salt and mix well.
  3. Pour ⅔ cup of this mixture over the cooked sticky rice and mix thoroughly.
  4. Cover and rest for 15 to 20 minutes so the rice absorbs the coconut milk.

Making Coconut Sauce

  1. Add tapioca starch or cornstarch to the remaining coconut milk mixture in the pan.
  2. Cook gently on low heat for 4 to 5 minutes, while stirring continuously.
  3. Once slightly thickened, remove from heat.

Preparing Mangoes

  1. Peel and chop the mangoes into thick slices.
  2. Set the mango slices aside.

Assembling & Making Mango Sticky Rice

  1. Place some prepared sticky rice in a small bowl and gently press to shape it.
  2. Invert the bowl onto a serving plate and carefully unmould the rice.
  3. Arrange the sliced mangoes alongside the rice.
  4. Drizzle some coconut sauce over the rice and mangoes. Extra coconut sauce can be served on the side if desired.
  5. Garnish with toasted sesame seeds and serve Mango Sticky Rice.
  6. You can also garnish with toasted mung beans or black sesame seeds.

Serving & Storage

  1. Serve Mango Sticky Rice slightly warm or at room temperature. Drizzle extra coconut sauce on top or serve it on the side.
  2. Store leftover rice and mangoes separately in the refrigerator for up to 1 day. Reheat the rice gently before serving.

Kiyaan Singh’s Kitchen Note

Keep this recipe as a working base: cook once as written, then adjust spice, texture, and serving style for your own table.