MANGO WITH STICKY RICE

Today we head to Thailand to try one of the most iconic desserts in the Land of Smiles: khao neeo mamuang or mango with sticky rice.

WHAT IS MANGO WITH STICKY RICE?

Mango Sticky Rice (ข้าวเหนียว มะม่วง) is a dessert made with sticky rice, fresh mango, and coconut milk, and flavored with crunchy roasted mung beans. It is a ubiquitous dessert in Thailand, as well as Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, and has also become common in other countries in Southeast Asia and beyond.

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MANGO WITH STICKY RICE

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Thailand

Mango with Sticky Rice

Today we head to Thailand to try one of the most iconic desserts in the Land of Smiles: khao neow mamuang or mango with sticky rice.

What are 196 flavors?

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WHAT IS MANGO WITH STICKY RICE?

Mango Sticky Rice (ข้าวเหนียว มะม่วง) is a dessert made with sticky rice, fresh mango, and coconut milk, and flavored with crunchy roasted mung beans. It is a ubiquitous dessert in Thailand, as well as Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, and has also become common in other countries in Southeast Asia and beyond.

Although it can be served year-round, it is most popular in April and May when it is mango season.

WHAT IS STICKY RICE?

Glutinous rice is very popular in Thailand and in this region in general. In addition to mango with sticky rice, it is also used in other popular desserts such as Khao tom, which consists of sticky rice wrapped in banana leaves and steamed.

This dessert reminds us of Koba Ravina from Madagascar, although we use glutinous rice flour for this dessert. Khao mak is another popular Thai dessert made with sticky rice. This dessert is prepared with look-pang, a starchy ball made with garlic, galangal, pepper, and yeast, allowing the sticky rice to ferment and develop a certain alcohol content, which is why this dessert is traditionally a dessert for adults.

RICE IN THAILAND

Thailand has historically been the world's number one rice exporter, but India and Vietnam have challenged this position in recent years. Thailand offers a great variety of rice beyond sticky rice.

The most famous is, of course, jasmine rice, also called hom mali (Thai aromatic rice), a sweet smelling long grain rice that traditionally accompanies Thai curry, such as Kaeng kari kai (yellow curry). But Thailand also has other interesting rices such as brown sticky rice (khao neow dum) or colorful rices (green: pandan leaves, or blue: anchan or butterfly pea flower) that are used in desserts.

HOW TO MAKE STICKY RICE

Khao niaw (sticky rice or sweet rice) is often eaten with the hands when served with dishes influenced by the Northeast (Isan region) such as laab . Thai sticky rice is traditionally steamed in a bamboo basket called huad (or huat). However, it can also be cooked in a rice cooker, although the result may not be so light.

HOW TO MAKE MANGO WITH STICKY RICE

For the mango with sticky rice, once the sticky rice is cooked, you have to “dump it”. In Thai, mun means to pile up. This operation consists of mixing the sweetened coconut milk with the sticky rice.

Once the sticky rice has absorbed all of the coconut milk, it is topped with a salty version of the same sweetened coconut milk. This combination of sweet and savory might not appeal to some people, and I was hesitant about it when I first tried this dessert over 10 years ago. However, it just works! The same salty sauce can also be placed on top of the mango. Finally, the dessert is sprinkled with roasted mung beans, although it can also be found with roasted or black sesame seeds.

The type of mango commonly used for this Thai mango sticky rice dessert is the juicy name dawk mai and ok rong varieties. If you can't find those varieties where you live, just go for ripe mangoes.

You can't go wrong with mango and sticky rice, and this dessert is the easy kind of dessert to make for any Southeast Asian meal. Sweet, tasty and delicious!