Modified September 26, 2022 Published June 11, 2018 by MinShien

Thai Mango Sweet Sticky Rice

Name: Thai Mango Sweet Sticky Rice
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 35 min
Ingredients: 2-3 fresh mangoes; 1 cup glutinous/sweet rice; 1 cup coconut milk; 1 tbsp coconut milk; 1/4 cup sugar; 1/4 tsp salt; 1/2 tsp corn starch; 1/2 tsp sesame seeds

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Mango Sticky Rice, the classic Thai and Southeast Asian dessert that combines sweet sticky smothered in coconut sauce and fresh, juicy mangoes. It’s such a lovely and gorgeous flavor combination.

This mango dessert is such a guilty pleasure of mine, and definitely one of my all-time favorite desserts.

If you like mango desserts, don’t forget to also check out these delicious Mango Crumb Bars. It’s another one of my most popular dessert on the blog and so very delicious!

What is Mango Sticky Rice

Mango Sweet Sticky Rice is a popular Southeast Asian dessert that is thoroughly enjoyed all over the world today. And you can even find it in most Thai restaurants across the United States as well.

The mangos used in Mango and Sticky Rice are very ripe, juicy and sweet, not the green sour kind. In fact, the riper and sweet the mangoes, the better it is.

The sweet mangoes are paired with sticky sweet steamed glutinous rice, which unlike most rice, is traditionally steamed, not boiled. Glutinous rice is drizzled with a creamy and rich coconut sauce, which really gives it its signature flavor.

You can use other rice with it, such as jasmine, sushi rice etc, but traditionally glutinous rice is used because of its fragrance and sticky texture.

Ingredients

It may seem like a complex dessert, but truly Mango Sweet Sticky Rice calls for only few ingredients and a little time in the kitchen, and you can indulge in all the Mango Sticky Rice magic you want.

Here are the ingredients you will need:

glutinous rice – or sometimes called sweet rice. It’s mainly grown in Southeast and East Asian, has opaque grains, and is sticky when it is cooked. It is used in a lot of Asian dessert recipes, and is typically steamed, not boiled in water. If you cannot find it in regular grocery stores, they sell it in Asian grocery stores, or get it online here. This is different from jasmine rice or sushi rice, although you can use those rice as well if in a pinch. But note that Mango and Sticky Rice will taste slightly different than what you’ve had in Thai restaurants if you do not use glutinous rice.
mangoes – use ripe and sweet mangoes, not sour, green ones. The sweeter the mangoes, the better!
coconut milk – canned coconut milk is used for this. Avoid the low fat ones for best taste and flavor. coconut cream works great as well.
granulated sugar
corn starch – used to thicken the coconut sauce
salt

Sticky rice with fresh sliced mangoes and coconut sauce

How to make Mango Sweet Sticky Rice?

There are three key components in our Mango Sticky Rice recipe:

sweet sticky rice
coconut sauce
mangoes

Step 1: Soak and steam glutinous rice

Whenever I have my heart set on making Mango Sticky Rice, the very first thing I do (which is also the longest part of the process that you will need to prepare ahead of time) is to soak the glutinous rice.

If you are not using glutinous rice, you will probably not need to soak it (jasmine, sushi, basmati etc).

Glutinous rice needs to be soaked for about 2 hours, or up to overnight.

When it is done soaking, drain water and steam it in a steamer.

If you have a steamer, steam it for 20-30 minutes. Check at the 20 minute mark to see if rice has softened, and it is no longer hard in the middle when you bite into it.

How to steam glutinous rice without a steamer?

If you do not have a steamer, no worries! You can totally still make Mango and Sticky Rice!

Here is how I “make” a steamer using a pot and some aluminum foil.

Fill pot with water, then shape aluminum foil into three equal sized balls.
Place the aluminum balls at the bottom of the pot.
Place a metal plate (or a plate that can withstand the high heat) with the rice on it, on the aluminum foil balls. Remember you will need something to lift the hot plate out when it is all done.
Once the water boils, steam rice for 20-30 minutes. Similarly, check at the 20 minute mark.

aluminum foil balls at the bottom of the pot filled with water — *Place aluminum foil balls at the bottom of a pot filled with water*

Homemade steamer to make glutinuous rice — *Place a plate of rice on aluminum foil balls*

If you have an Instant Pot, most of them have a steaming setting as well!

Step 2: Make Coconut Sauce

While waiting for the rice to cook, prepare the sweet coconut sauce.

Sweet coconut sauce = the must-have secret that makes your Mango Sticky Rice AMAZING.

Grab a pot and combine coconut milk and sugar. Bring to a boil, then pour 1/2 of the sauce into a small bowl and set aside. This will be mixed into the rice once the rice is ready.

The rest of the coconut milk and sugar that is in the pot will be used to make the sweet coconut sauce that we will drizzled onto the Mango Sticky Rice at the very end.

We will want to thicken this sauce. To do so, combine 1 tbsp of coconut milk (not the cooked coconut milk) and 1/2 tsp corn starch, then pour into the pot to combine. Boil for a few minutes until the sauce thickens.

Once the rice is ready, pour the sauce set aside earlier (not the thickened sauce) into the sticky rice. Mix well and let it sit for 10-15 minutes.

Step 3: Slice Mangoes and Assemble

Grab your mangoes and slice them into small pieces, then start plating your Mango and Sticky Rice!

Place sticky rice onto plates, drizzle that sticky, sticky goodness of the thickened sweet coconut sauce onto the rice, and serve with the sliced mangos.

Garnish with sesame seeds if desire.

Oh hey, lovely Thai Mango Sticky Rice – I WANT TO EAT YOU.

Dripping coconut sauce onto Mango and Sweet Sticky Rice on a plate

Seriously, this right here…is my weakness.

Mango is my favorite fruit. Coconut milk + sugar is sent from above.

Those two combine makes me giddy and happy.

What I love about Mango Sweet Sticky Rice dessert is how each ingredient is so lovely by itself, but combined, it brings out the flavors of the other ingredients, takes the tastiness of each ingredient to the next level, and makes the dish whole.

I had this a lot as a kid. We would eat sweet sticky rice with and coconut sauce, along with mangos, durian (local Malaysian fruit), or bananas. I will say my favorite is still mango.

Something about the sweet and sour from the mango makes it the best pairing for the creaminess from the coconut.

I can serious go on and on about how amazing is Mango Sticky Rice. My love for it runs deep.

If you already love Mango and Sticky Rice, virtual high five – I feel this special Thai-Mango-Sweet-Sticky-Rice-fan-club bond with you.

If this is new – give it a chance! 🙂 It is truly unique, and some of the most creative use and combination of flavors I know.

Using a spoon to grab a bite of sweet sticky rice with some mangoes on it

Enjoy, and be wowed. 🙂

Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find glutinous rice? Can I use another type of rice?

Glutinous rice is highly recommended because it has a unique texture and flavor for this mango dessert. You can find it in Asian grocery stores or online HERE. If you really cannot find it, you can use another type of rice. Most likely you will just cook that rice the way you typically cook it (by boiling it instead of steaming).

How do I reheat Mango Sticky Rice?

Only reheat the rice and coconut sauce, not the mango. To reheat rice, drizzle some water before heating it up in the microwave. As for the coconut sauce, reheat in the microwave as well.

Other Thai/ Southeast Asian dishes

More mango recipes!

Dedicated to all my fellow mango-fans!

Mango Crumb Bars
Fish Tacos with Mango Peach Salsa
Pineapple Mango Salsa
Blueberry Mango Smoothie with Peanut Butter and Honey
Mango Cake (by fellow blogger Foxy Folksy!)

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