Thai cuisine

 Cooking the famous Thai Mango Sticky Rice at home

By Earl D.C. Bracamonte 

Like the suman that we serve with tsokolate and/or ripe mangoes,  Khao Niew Ma Muang or Mango Sticky Rice, is a well-loved Thai dish. 

The Kingdom of Thailand's Department of Foreign Trade, showcased their many rice varieties through an event titled, "Think Rice, Think Thailand." During the event, invited chefs did a cooking demo featuring a number of Thai rice varieties.

For this dish, they used glutinous rice.

*Ingredients

2 cups glutinous rice (malagkit)

2 cups well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk

1/3 cup plus 3 tbsps. sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

1 tbsp. sesame seed, toasted lightly

1 large mango, peeled, pitted, and diced

*Cooking instructions

1) Rinse the sticky rice and soak overnight or, at least, four hours. Then steam for 40 minutes until the rice grains become translucent, soft, and chewy. 

2) While the sticky rice is being steamed, prepare the  coconut sauce. Combine the  coconut milk, salt, and sugar in a small pan over medium heat. Cook until the sugar and salt are dissolved.

3) Combine the cooked sticky rice with the coconut sauce. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes until the rice has absorbed all of the  coconut sauce. Make the thickened coconut sauce by mixing the coconut milk, sugar, salt, and cornstarch over medium heat. Cook until slightly thickened then set aside.

4) Make crispy mung bean garnishing by either dry frying or deep frying some split yellow mung beans.

5) Peel and dice the mango. Place several.spoonfuls of coconut flavored sticky rice on a plate, next to diced mangoes. Top with thickened coconut cream and crispy mung beans. Serve hot or cold.