I had my first sticky rice with mango at an anonymous food stop in Northern Thailand, approaching the Mekong river to cross over to Laos.
I had never liked mangos until I tasted my first perfectly ripe mango on Easter Island. It was juicy, it was sweet, it was delicious.
The combination of mango and sticky rice was an epiphany, one which I sought to repeat as often as possible during the rest of my travels in Southeast Asia.
As soon as I was back in Vienna I started trying to recreate this wonderful experience, not always successfully. Some recipes didn’t turn out the way I had hoped them to – rice too soft, rice not soft enough, too watery, not enough liquid, too sweet – and some recipes were simply too elaborate. Then I came across a recipe for a somewhat unconventional shortcut to sticky rice. It included a microwave. This was it.
Especially in winter, when the quality of mangos in Europe is better, I’ll have mango sticky rice as a feel-good-dinner or dessert (for dessert I’ll have only half and take the other half to work with me the next day for a mid-afternoon treat).
Mango sticky rice
Ingredients
- 1 mango
- 1 cup glutinous rice
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 2 TS sugar
- pinch of salt
Directions
Rinse the rice, then soak it in warm water for 10 mins. The water level should only be slightly above the rice.
Cover the rice and put it in the microwave on high for 3 minutes. When it’s done, stir it well and put it back for another 3 minutes on high.
In the meantime heat the coconut milk, careful it doesn’t boil. Let it simmer and dissolve sugar and salt.
Cut up the mango. If you have no idea how to do it, here is a video that shows you.
When the rice is done (check it – if it’s still to grainy for your taste, put it back for 30 seconds, then check again), add 2/3 of the coconut milk and let it sit for a few minutes. Add the remaining coconut milk and mango just before serving.
Delicious, huh?
Needless to say you can use a variety of other fruit. I have tried pomegranate and kiwi fruit and liked both.
Looks nice, tastes great. Mr. A approved.
Phew, that was close… 😉