If you haven't had sticky rice before, you should know this is not savory, eat-with-stir-fry rice. If it helps you understand, sticky rice is kind of like rice pudding. Asians, please don't be mad at me. Non-Asians, don't try using normal rice. Get the stuff labeled "sticky rice" or "sweet rice" or "glutenous rice." I bought brown sticky rice so I can pretend this dessert is healthy. Although, this probably is healthier than say, a piece of cake or cheesecake. Plus, there's fruit! Duh!
It's best to plan ahead if you're going to make this. You need time to let the mango ripen (unless you live in a lovely tropical place) and you need a bit of time to soak the rice. Sticky rice has a hard exterior, so it's best to soften that up before cooking with a good ole soak. And of course, you need time to build up your appetite and excitement. I've been building mine for a couple of years now, so it's pretty ready to spew like Vesuvius. Good thing this recipe made enough for like 8 servings. But don't think that this recipe is hard! It's not! It's stupidly easy. And stupidly delicious.
In a medium-small saucepan, place
- two cups of sticky rice
- three and a half cups warm water
Let the rice soak for at least twenty minutes. I soaked mine for a day. I don't think any longer would be beneficial. Also, if you have plenty of time to let the rice soak, you don't necessarily need warm water. I think it'd be best if you're in a hurry so that you can maximize the hull-softening in a limited amount of time.
When you are tired of letting the rice soak, you can cook the rice. If you have a steamer and a banana leaf, then that is awesome! We have a steamer but I don't have any banana leaves and there aren't any convenient banana trees, so I had to go the (non-traditional) boiling route. Without adding or reducing the amount of water from earlier, simply put the saucepan/pot over medium high heat. Once the water warms up, place a cover on top crookedly so that it is not hard-core sealed shut, then reduce the heat so that the rice gently simmers. Let the rice simmer until it absorbs all the water. Since I used brown sticky rice, it probably took longer than normal sticky rice. You can stick a fork or spoon into the rice to push it aside to check if the water has been absorbed yet. Once the water's all gone, move the cover so that it sits tightly on the pot. Let it hang out for five or ten minutes (or as long as you want!) so that it can finish cooking itself.
Meanwhile, you should be peeling and cutting the juicy mangoes. Also, you need to create the coconut sauce. Into a small saucepan, put
- one can (13.5 fluid ounces, 400 mL) coconut milk
- three tablespoons of sugar
- half a teaspoon of salt
Simmer the coconut milk, stirring often. Do not neglect this! Neglecting the sticky rice is just fun, but give the coconut milk some tender, loving care. You only need to let it simmer for a couple minutes. Once both the rice and the sauce are ready, uncover the rice, stir 3/4 of the sauce into the rice, and cover both pots. Give the rice a few minutes to mingle with the coconut milk. You can wait one minute, or you can let the rice hang out for a few hours if you are biding your time. To serve, scoop some of the sticky rice onto a small plate or into a bowl, top with the mango pieces, and drizzle some of the coconut milk sauce on top. Voila! A scrumptious taste of southeast Asia!