Recipe

Thai-Inspired Mango Coconut Sticky Rice

Tender steamed sticky rice absorbs sweet coconut milk and is served with ripe mango and a lightly salted coconut sauce for a tropical dessert.

Thai-Inspired Mango Coconut Sticky Rice
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Ingredients

  • 1 cup (200 g) uncooked white glutinous rice, also called sweet or sticky rice
  • Cold water for rinsing and soaking; enough to cover rice by 2 inches
  • 1 can (13.5 fluid ounces / 400 ml) full-fat unsweetened coconut milk, stirred smooth and divided
  • 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, divided equally
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1 tablespoon cold water for the cornstarch slurry
  • 2 ripe mangoes, providing about 450 g peeled, pitted flesh
  • 1 tablespoon ready-to-eat roasted split mung beans, optional garnish

Instructions

  1. Rinse and soak the rice. Rinse the glutinous rice in several changes of cool water until the water is less cloudy. Cover with fresh water by about 2 inches and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight. Drain thoroughly before steaming.
  2. Prepare the steamer. Line a steamer basket with a clean damp steaming cloth or muslin suitable for food. Spread the drained rice evenly, leaving some room around it for steam circulation. Keep the water below the basket so it does not touch the rice.
  3. Steam until tender. Bring the water to a steady simmer, cover and steam for about 25–30 minutes. Turn or stir the rice carefully halfway through. Check the water level without letting the pot boil dry. The grains should be tender throughout, with no chalky center.
  4. Make the sweet coconut mixture. While the rice cooks, heat 1 cup (240 ml) of the coconut milk with the sugar and half the salt in a small saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolves. Keep it hot but do not reduce it aggressively.
  5. Let the rice absorb the coconut. Transfer the hot cooked rice to a heatproof bowl and immediately fold in the hot sweet coconut mixture. Cover and leave for 20–30 minutes, stirring gently once halfway through, until most of the liquid is absorbed. This resting stage is part of the method.
  6. Prepare the finishing sauce. Put the remaining coconut milk and remaining salt in the saucepan. Mix the cornstarch with the tablespoon of cold water, stir it in and heat gently while stirring until the sauce lightly thickens, about 1–2 minutes after it begins to simmer.
  7. Slice the mangoes. Peel the mangoes and cut the flesh away from the flat pits, then slice into even pieces. Use a stable cutting board and keep the slippery fruit supported. Divide the prepared fruit into four roughly equal portions.
  8. Plate the dessert. Spoon one-quarter of the coconut rice onto each plate or into a shallow bowl. Add the mango beside or over it and spoon one-quarter of the finishing sauce over the rice, or serve the sauce alongside. Sprinkle with optional ready-to-eat mung beans if using.
  9. Serve without a long delay. Enjoy while the rice is warm or freshly cooled and the mango is cool. Do not leave cooked rice sitting out for an extended period. The approximate total time includes four hours of soaking and the coconut-absorption rest.

Mango coconut sticky rice combines warm, tender grains with cool ripe fruit and a glossy coconut sauce. The rice absorbs a sweetened portion of coconut milk while it rests, leaving a separate, lightly salted sauce for spooning over the finished plate. The contrast between rich coconut and fragrant mango is the main attraction.

Choose glutinous or sweet rice specifically sold for sticky-rice dishes; ordinary long-grain rice will not give the same texture. The grains need soaking before steaming, so this dessert rewards a little advance planning even though the active cooking is straightforward. Use mangoes that yield gently when pressed and smell fragrant near the stem. This is an original home adaptation inspired by Thai mango sticky rice, with clear instructions for a regular covered steamer rather than specialized equipment.

Rice and coconut milk

The word glutinous refers to the sticky texture, not an added gluten ingredient, but check labels for dietary needs. Use unsweetened canned coconut milk rather than a thin carton beverage. Stir the can well before measuring so the fat is distributed evenly.

Storage

Refrigerate leftover rice and sauce promptly in shallow containers and use within 2 days for best texture. Keep mango separate. Reheat rice and sauce to 165°F (74°C), adding a little water if needed, then add fresh or refrigerated mango.

Garnish and timing

Only use mung beans sold ready to eat as a roasted snack or garnish; do not sprinkle uncooked dried beans on the dessert. The garnish is optional and excluded from nutrition. Soaking overnight makes the schedule easier, but adds to the total elapsed time.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use jasmine rice?

Not as a direct replacement for this method. Jasmine rice has a different starch structure and needs a different water-based cooking approach. Use glutinous rice for the intended sticky texture.

Why is there liquid after adding coconut milk?

The rice needs the covered absorption rest. Stir gently once and give it the full 20–30 minutes. If the grains were still undercooked before mixing, resting in coconut milk will not reliably fix a hard center.

Nutrition notes

Nutrition values are approximate editorial estimates per serving, not laboratory measurements or a verified nutritional analysis. Actual values vary with brands, portion size and substitutions. These original recipe drafts have not been kitchen-tested; cooking times are guides.

Approximate estimate uses 200 g dry sticky rice, 400 ml full-fat coconut milk, 50 g sugar and 450 g edible mango. Optional roasted mung beans are excluded. Coconut-milk brands differ substantially in fat and calories.

Allergen information: Coconut; Optional mung beans (legume); check packaged ingredients. Check all ingredient labels and individual dietary needs.

Illustrative photograph: Mango sticky rice served in Thailand.jpg by Arthur Taksin. CC BY 4.0. Original photograph included without alteration; filename changed for organization. This is not a photograph of a test cook of this recipe. The photograph includes a mung-bean garnish, which is optional in the recipe.

Per serving

Nutrition facts

Serving size: 1/4 of the coconut rice, mango and finishing sauce (estimated nutrition)

Calories
470
Total fat
20 g
Saturated fat
18 g
Cholesterol
0 mg
Sodium
150 mg
Total carbohydrate
72 g
Dietary fiber
3 g
Total sugars
29 g
Protein
6 g

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