This is actually a Thai dessert known as kao niew ma muang in Thai, but sometimes, it is eaten as a meal. This is my first attempt at mango sticky rice and I just found out that it’s actually very easy to make.

First, you need to wash some glutinous rice really well (rinse 5 times) and then soak it for at least 30 minutes. I’ve been told that you must eliminate excess starch from the rice so that it doesn’t get soggy and messy towards the end.

Next, you steam the rice. You would need to do that for about 30 minutes. While your rice is steaming, you prepare your coconut milk.

I have a large bowl here. You just need about half of this bowl of coconut milk. Add about 2 tablespoons of sugar and one teaspoon of salt. Heat up the coconut milk until it starts to boil. Mix well to dissolve the salt and sugar. You can also add some pandan leaves to add to the fragrance.

Once your rice is ready, mix the coconut milk into the rice. It may look a bit mushy at first, but mix it really well and set it aside without heating for at least 30 minutes.

30 minutes later, the rice should look plumped up but not mushy. In fact, it should be soft but quite dry to the touch. You would then proceed to slice your mangoes. I’ve used a Taiwanese mango here. Arrange the fruit nicely, top it up with the prepared rice and you’ve got yourself a nice kao niew ma muang.

We’re done. Enjoy.

© Chan Joon Yee

Chan Joon Yee is the author of Spellbound in Chiangmai, a collection of short stories based on sheltered and simple Singaporeans’ misadventures in the Land of Smiles.