Sticky rice with mango served on a banana leaf

I promise that Kitchen Kat isn’t evolving into a Southeast Asian food blog. However, I do have one more tantalizing recipe from this part of the world to share. This time it’s an iconic Thai sweet, sticky rice with mango. One of those rare desserts that is as straightforward as it sounds, here steamed sticky rice or khâo niaw gets paired with cut mango.

Sometimes referred to as glutinous rice, sticky rice’s name comes from its texture. When cooked, this short, oval-shaped rice becomes quite gummy. Its color also changes from white to almost translucent, which is the opposite of how white rice looks before and after steaming. Especially popular in Northern Thailand, sticky rice can be eaten by hand.

Tropical fruit from top left to right: mangoes, dragon fruit, soursop, rambutan, sapodilla, custard apples

Occasionally sticky rice is consumed on its own. On some rare occasions it is served alongside fresh or dried shrimp, giving diners a sweet-salty-savory experience. Although it usually pairs up with mango, it also goes nicely with such tropical fruits as soursop, pineapple and jackfruit or tart and fruity sorbet. I like it best, though, when it’s featured in the following classic recipe, sticky rice with mango.

The finished dish, Thai sticky rice with cut mango

STICKY RICE WITH MANGO
Serves 4

1 cup sticky/glutinous rice, soaked in water overnight
2/3 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup coconut milk
Pinch salt
2 to 4 ripe mangoes

Drain and rinse the rice and, using either a heavy bottomed pot with a lid or a rice cooker, steam the rice for 20 minutes.

As the rice is steaming, whisk together the sugar, coconut milk and salt. Once the rice has finished cooking, pour the liquid over it and stir to combine. Cover and allow the rice to soak up all the liquid, about 20 minutes.

Prepping the sliced mango

As the rice is steeping, prepare the mangoes. Using a thin, sharp knife, slice a mango in half lengthwise and then cut evenly spaced vertical and horizontal rows into its flesh. (See image above to see how the cut mango should look.) Gently push up on the fruit’s skin so that the sliced squares pop up. Place the cut half on a plate. Repeat these steps with the remaining fruit.

When the rice has finished steeping, spoon equal amounts next to the sliced mango. Serve immediately.