Mango with Sweet Coconut Sticky Rice

Khao Niew Mamuang

Gluten-Free, Soy-Free, Nut-Free, Vegan

Serves 4 / Prep Time: 10 minutes plus, 2 hours to soak / Cook Time: 30 minutes / Total time: 3 hours, 10 minutes.

This is the probably the best-known Thai dessert, and with good reason: Something about the interplay of cool, sweet mango, creamy coconut milk, and warm, chewy sticky rice is infinitely satisfying. A friend served this at her wedding in lieu of wedding cake, and I was delighted! A perfectly ripe, good-quality mango is essential for this dish; look for long, thin, yellow-skinned Ataúlfo (also called Champagne or honey) mangoes, which are smooth, velvety, and flavorful. Traditionally the sticky rice is cooked in a special urn-shaped pot and cone-shaped bamboo steamer, but you can use any of the methods described below.

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, soak the rice in enough warm water to cover for at least 2 hours and up to overnight.

2. When ready to proceed, in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the coconut milk, sugar, and salt, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the sugar has dissolved completely. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Rinse the soaked rice gently several times until the water runs clear. You can do this by adding cold water to the rice, swishing it around with your fingers, and then gently pouring off the water into a sink, being careful not to lose any grains down the drain in the process.

4. In a steamer or large pot over high heat, bring 2 inches of water to a boil.

5. To steam the rice, use either a fine-mesh strainer (with a lip or hook that supports it on the edge of a pot), a mesh splatter guard, or a stacking bamboo or metal steamer. If using a strainer, place the drained, soaked rice in the strainer over the boiling water and cover. If using a splatter guard, place the guard on top of the pot and arrange the drained, soaked rice in an even mound in the center of the guard; cover with a domed pot lid or inverted stainless-steel bowl. If using a steamer, line the steamer with a piece of cheesecloth or muslin and place the rice in the center in a small, even mound, about 1 to 2 inches thick. Fold the edges of the cloth up around the mound to wrap it, and cover the steamer with a lid.

6. Adjust the heat so that the water is at a steady but gentle boil, and steam until the rice is softened, translucent, and sticks together in lumps when pressed, 20 to 30 minutes.

7. Transfer the rice to the saucepan containing the sweetened coconut milk, stir a few times so that it’s evenly submerged in the milk, cover, and let sit for at least 30 minutes to absorb the coconut milk.

8. Meanwhile, prepare the mangoes: Peel them using a sharp paring knife, and then carefully extract each half of the mango, sliding the blade of the knife right next to the flat side of the seed on each side. Cut each half crosswise into 1-inch slices, and arrange on a plate with a mound of sticky rice.

9. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (if using) and serve.