Coconut Mango Sticky Rice with Toasted Sesame Crunch

⏱ 75 min · Serves 4

Silky coconut-soaked glutinous rice, ripe golden mango and a salty-sweet coconut drizzle, finished with toasted sesame and mung beans for crunch. It tastes like a Bangkok street stall on a warm evening — and it's far easier to make at home than you'd think.

Per serving: 560 kcal · 7.5g protein · 97.0g carbs · 17.0g fat

Ingredients

• 300g Thai glutinous (sticky) rice
• 400ml full-fat coconut milk
• 100g caster sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 2 tbsp coconut milk (reserved, for the drizzle)
• 1 tsp cornflour
• 2 large ripe mangoes (Nam Dok Mai or Ataulfo if possible)
• 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
• 2 tbsp split mung beans (optional, or use extra sesame)
• 1 pinch flaky salt, to finish

Method

1. Rinse the sticky rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs almost clear, then soak in plenty of cold water for at least 30 minutes (up to 4 hours).
2. Drain the rice and spread it in a steamer basket lined with muslin or a clean thin tea towel. Fold the cloth over the top and steam over simmering water for 20-25 minutes, until the grains are translucent and tender but chewy. Turn the rice halfway for even cooking.
3. While the rice steams, warm 400ml coconut milk with the sugar and 1/2 tsp salt in a small pan over low heat, stirring until dissolved. Do not boil. Set aside about 100ml for serving.
4. Tip the hot steamed rice into a bowl, pour over the remaining sweet coconut milk, stir once, then cover and leave to stand for 20 minutes so the rice drinks it all up. It should be glossy, not soupy.
5. Toast the sesame seeds and mung beans in a dry frying pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until golden and nutty. Tip out to cool.
6. For the drizzle, whisk the cornflour into the 2 tbsp reserved coconut milk, stir into the 100ml of set-aside sweet coconut milk and heat gently for 1-2 minutes until slightly thickened. Add a pinch more salt — it should taste sweet-salty.
7. Peel the mangoes and slice the cheeks into thick fingers.
8. Mound the sticky rice on plates, lay the mango alongside, spoon over the warm coconut drizzle and scatter with toasted sesame, mung beans and a few flakes of salt. Serve just warm.