Mango Sticky Rice — Thai Coconut Sticky Rice with Mango
Thailand's most beloved dessert: warm, plump glutinous rice steamed and soaked in sweet, salty coconut cream, served alongside ripe golden mango and finished with a drizzle of thick coconut sauce and a sprinkle of toasted mung beans or sesame. Khao niao mamuang is the taste of Thai mango season — simple, fragrant and addictive, balancing sweet fruit against rich, faintly salty coconut rice.
Soak glutinous (sticky) rice for at least a few hours, then steam it (not boil) until tender and translucent. Warm coconut milk with sugar and a good pinch of salt until the sugar dissolves — don't boil. Pour most of this over the hot cooked rice and let it sit, covered, for 20–30 minutes to absorb. Serve the scented rice with slices of ripe mango and spoon the reserved (slightly saltier, thicker) coconut sauce over the top, with toasted mung beans or sesame to finish.
- Use real glutinous/sticky rice and steam it — regular or boiled rice won't give the right chew.
- Soak the rice (hours or overnight) so it steams evenly and tender.
- Balance the coconut sauce sweet-and-salty, and let the hot rice soak it up before serving.
Equipment
- Steamer (or steamer basket + pot)
- Saucepan
- Bowl for soaking
食材
Sticky rice
- 300 g Thai glutinous (sticky) rice, soaked
Coconut sauce
- 400 ml coconut milk
- 80 g sugar
- ½ tsp salt
- Optional: 1 tsp rice flour (to thicken the topping sauce)
To serve
- 2 ripe mangoes, sliced
- Toasted mung beans or sesame seeds
步驟
- 步驟01
Rinse the glutinous rice and soak it in water for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight. This is essential for it to steam evenly and turn tender.
- 步驟02
Drain the rice and steam it over simmering water (in a lined steamer basket or muslin) until tender and translucent, about 20–25 minutes. Don't boil it like normal rice.
- 步驟03
Gently warm the coconut milk with the sugar and salt, stirring, until dissolved — don't let it boil. Set aside a portion for the topping (make it a touch saltier/thicker, adding a little rice flour and warming if you want it thick).
- 步驟04
Tip the hot steamed rice into a bowl, pour over most of the sweet coconut milk, stir gently, then cover and leave 20–30 minutes for the rice to drink it up and become glossy and fragrant.
- 步驟05
Mound the coconut sticky rice onto plates with slices of ripe mango alongside. Spoon the reserved coconut sauce over the rice and scatter with toasted mung beans or sesame. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Make ahead
Steam the rice and make the coconut sauce ahead; combine and let the rice soak closer to serving so it stays soft. If refrigerated, re-steam or warm gently with a little extra coconut milk before serving, and slice the mango fresh.
Storage
Best the day it's made, while the rice is soft. It firms up when cold; gently re-steam or microwave with a splash of coconut milk to soften again. Keep the mango fresh and slice to serve. The cooked, coconut-soaked rice keeps a day at room temperature (or refrigerated and re-steamed).
Variations
Other fruit
When mango is out of season, serve the coconut sticky rice with ripe durian, banana or other tropical fruit.
Pandan / colour
Infuse the coconut with pandan, or tint portions of rice with butterfly pea flower for a striking blue.
Black sticky rice
Use black glutinous rice for a nuttier, dramatic version (often served as a warm pudding).
Serve with
Nutrition per serving
Nutrition values are estimates based on the metric measurements. Adjust as needed.
常見問題
What rice do I need for mango sticky rice?
Thai glutinous rice, also called sticky or sweet rice — a short-grain rice that turns sticky and chewy when steamed. It's different from jasmine or regular long-grain rice, which won't give the right texture. Look for 'glutinous rice' or 'sweet rice' at Asian groceries; it contains no gluten despite the name.
Why steam the rice instead of boiling it?
Glutinous rice is traditionally steamed (after soaking), not boiled, which gives the firm, separate-yet-sticky, chewy grains the dessert needs. Boiling it like regular rice makes it gluey and waterlogged. Soak it first so it steams through evenly, then steam over simmering water until translucent and tender.
How do I balance the coconut sauce?
Mango sticky rice lives on the sweet-salty contrast: the coconut milk is sweetened with sugar but also needs a good pinch of salt, which makes it taste rich rather than just sweet. Warm it gently to dissolve the sugar (don't boil, which can split it), and taste — it should be lightly salty-sweet and luscious.
What if I can't get good mango?
The dish shines with ripe, fragrant mango (Thai nam dok mai is ideal), but out of season you can serve the coconut sticky rice with other ripe fruit — banana, durian or even strawberries. The sweet, salty coconut rice is delicious on its own, so don't use under-ripe, fibrous mango that won't deliver.
Is mango sticky rice vegan?
Yes — it's naturally vegan and dairy-free, made with rice, coconut milk, sugar and fruit. It's also gluten-free (glutinous rice contains no gluten). Just check any garnish; toasted mung beans or sesame are vegan, and it's a great naturally plant-based dessert.
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