Mango Sticky Rice

Published: Feb 20, 2014 · Modified: Apr 11, 2023 by Pailin Chongchitnant · This post may contain affiliate links

Mango sticky rice ข้าวเหนียวมะม่วง is the most famous Thai dessert, and for good reason! If you never thought fruit and rice would go together, this will blow your mind. Sweet sticky rice pairs unexpectedly well with sweet and juicy fresh mangoes. It's loved the world over and is arguably the Thai national dessert!

a plate of mango and sticky rice with mung beans on top of the rice

Ingredients

There are a few different components to this mango sticky rice recipe, but the ingredients for each one is incredibly short and simple.

Sweet coconut sticky rice

Thai white glutinous rice, also known as Thai sweet rice or Thai sticky rice
Coconut milk, a good coconut milk is important here, so if you haven't, check out this post about how to choose good coconut milk. Do not use coconut cream for this recipe.
Salt
Granulated sugar. While you might be tempted to use palm sugar in Thai dessert, white sugar is used in this recipe to maintain the white colour and to keep the flavour clean.

Salted coconut sauce

This is a simple yet extremely important component of the mango sticky rice. The salt helps balance out the sweetness of the rice, so together you end up with a dish that has a bit of everything: sweet, salty and fruity. It also helps keep the whole thing moist!

Coconut milk.
Salt
Rice flour or cornstarch. This is just to thicken the sauce so that it will stay on the rice and not run all over the plate, so any starch or flour that you have on hand will do the job.

The mangoes and the topping

Shelled, split mung beans. These are for making crispy mung beans that go on top of the rice. They are technically optional, but I highly recommend it as they add a lovely crunch that makes a big difference. Toasted sesame seeds can be substituted, but they're not quite the same.
Sweet, ripe mangoes. Please, no sour, underripe, out-of-season mangoes here! Outside of Thailand, the best mangoes for this job are Manila mangoes, also known as ataulfo or champagne mangoes. They are sweet and juicy when ripe, and have very few fibers. If you're in Thailand, nam dok mai or ok rong mangoes are best.

How to Make Mango Sticky Rice

The instructions are not complicated, but if you've never made Thai sticky rice before it is worth watching the video tutorial below to get a good understanding of the process. If you're new to making sticky rice, also check out this in-depth post covering how to make sticky rice here.

All my recipes come with step-by-step video tutorials. If you enjoy the show, please consider subscribing to my YouTube channel. Thank you!

For the sweet sticky rice

Note: Do this at least 5 hours ahead of serving or 1 day ahead.

Wash the rice by placing it in a mixing bowl and cover with cold water, then vigorously swish the rice with your hand to release loose starch. Pour off the cloudy water and repeat the washing 4 more times times or until the water runs clear.
Soak the rice. Cover the rice with room temp water and let it soak for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
Drain and steam the rice. Drain the rice very well and steam the rice for 25-30 minutes over boiling water. Line a steamer rack with wet muslin or thin white tea towel, place the rice on the cloth and fold the edges of the cloth over the rice, creating a package. Make sure the rice doesn't cover the entire rack - there should be space around the rice to allow steam to come up.
Prepare the coconut syrup. While the rice is cooking, combine the coconut milk, sugar, and salt in a small pot. Cook it over medium heat until the sugar is completely dissolved and turn off the heat. Heat the coconut milk back up just before the rice is done so it will be hot for the next step.
Macerate the rice. When the sticky rice is done, place it into a mixing bowl and immediately pour the hot syrup over the rice. Stir to break up any lumps, then cover with a lid, a plate, or aluminum foil and let sit for 20 minutes. Then use a rubber spatula to fold the bottom part of the rice up to the top to help redistribute the liquid, and let sit for at least another 20 minutes or until ready to serve. The rice should've absorbed all the liquid and looks plump and shiny, but not mushy.

Note: The sticky rice will last 1 day at room temperature, but beyond that it should be refrigerated. If chilled, microwave until steaming hot to allow the rice to fully regain softness, then cool to room temp for serving.

For the salted coconut sauce

Stir the rice flour in 1 tablespoon of water until there are no more lumps.
Combine the rice flour slurry, coconut milk, and salt in a small pot. Cook over medium high heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a gentle boil and has thickened.

For the crispy mung beans

Rinse the beans twice in cold water and them to a small pot and cover with 2 cups of cold water.
Over medium heat, bring the water to a gentle boil. Once boiled, immediately remove from heat and cover the pot; let sit for 10 minutes.
Drain off the cooking water and rinse the beans in cold water. Drain well.
In a lightly greased saute pan, toast the beans over medium high heat, stirring frequently, until the beans are dry, crunchy and starts developing a light golden colour.
Let cool on a plate. This can be kept in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

Assembly:

Scoop the rice onto a plate, then spoon about a tablespoon of the salted coconut sauce over the rice. Sprinkle the crispy mung beans on top and serve beside fresh mangoes.

Tips for Mango Sticky Rice

It sounds like a simple dessert, and it is, but there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure success:

The sticky rice is best served the day it is made, but there are lots you can do ahead of time to make serving day much easier: 1) Make the coconut syrup up to a few days ahead and reheat before macerating the rice. 2) Make the salted coconut sauce up to a few days ahead. 3) Make the crispy mung beans up to a week ahead.
Rinse the rice very well, until the water runs clear. This can take up to 5 times. The ideal texture for this sticky rice should not be like rice pudding, the grains are sweet and sticky, but still chewy and should not have any gumminess in between the grains. Any excess starch will create this gumminess.
Use good coconut milk. As you can see, coconut milk plays a large role in this dessert, and it's important to use a good one. Coconut milk varies greatly in quality, so to learn more, read my post on how to choose good coconut milk.
Always use sweet ripe mangoes. There is nothing that ruins mango and sticky rice more than tart or flavourless mangoes!!! This is not a dessert to make out of season. However, if you really need it out of season, high quality frozen Filipino mango will do the trick (Philippine brand is very good). See the video for more on this.
Check crunchiness of mung beans after they have cooled. After you toast the mung beans, let them cool on a plate and then try one. If they're not crunchy, it means there's still more moisture left in them that needs to be cooked out. Simply toast them some more.

What to Serve with Mango Sticky Rice

Mango sticky rice is a standalone dessert that doesn't need any accompaniment, but a hot lemongrass pandan tea wouldn't hurt!

It makes a great ending to any Thai meal. But since you are making dessert, you probably don't want the rest of the meal to be overly complicated. Check out these 27 easy Thai recipes for beginners for some ideas!

Storage and Reheating Instructions

Sticky rice doesn't like to be refrigerated, so serve it within the day it is made for the best texture. However, leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and frozen for up to 1 month, and even though reheated rice will have slightly compromised texture, it is fine to eat.

To freeze the sticky rice, divide the rice into portions and freeze in a freezer bag, with as much air as possible removed.

To reheat refrigerated or frozen sticky rice, cover the rice with a damp paper towel and microwave, or covered with dry paper towel and steam, until the rice is steaming hot. Let cool to room temp before serving. The rice will not regain its softness unless it is fully reheated, so this is very important!

The salted coconut sauce will last at least 1 week in the fridge without any issues. Simply reheat in the microwave or on the stovetop.

To store leftover cut mangoes, cover it well refrigerate for up to 3 days. It may develop some browning, which is not pretty, but is fine to eat.

FAQ

Can you make the sticky rice with jasmine or basmati rice?

No, the "sticky rice" in this dessert does not refer to how the rice is cooked, but to the kind of rice you use. So the only rice you can use is "sticky" or glutinous rice. Long grain Thai glutinous rice is traditional, but if it is not available, short grain glutinous rice can also be used.

If you used non glutinous rice in this recipe, you will end up with rice pudding!

Is sticky rice and sweet rice the same?

Usually, yes. For some reason, Thai sticky rice is often labeled in English as "sweet rice" even though the rice itself is not sweet. My theory is that it's because it is commonly used in desserts. Some brands label it as "glutinous rice."

To make sure you have the right rice, check that it is opaque white, long grain and is product of Thailand. The label should either say white glutinous rice or sweet rice.

How long is mango sticky rice good for?

Mango sticky rice is best consumed within the day it is made because the rice's texture will not be as good once refrigerated and reheated. However, it can be refrigerated for up to 3 days, and frozen for up to 1 month. See above for reheating instructions.

What's the best way to clean the steamer after cooking sticky rice?

If you're using a bamboo steamer to cook sticky rice, once it's done, immediately soak it in water to prevent the rice from drying onto it. When you're ready to wash it, use a dish washing brush and scrub it with hot water. There's no need to use soap on it as sticky rice doesn't leave any grease, but if you do, that's fine.

If the rice does dry onto the steamer, not a problem. Soak it in hot tap water until the rice loosens, this will take several hours, and then scrub as usual.

Mango Sticky Rice Recipe

Love sticky rice? Try these recipes!

Thai people put sticky rice in all sorts of desserts. If you've got leftover sticky rice from this recipe, the durian and sticky rice and the street style coconut ice cream below use the same rice!

Mango Sticky Rice