Arté’s Mum’s Mango Sticky Rice Recipe
This mango sticky rice recipe comes from sAme sAme Head Chef Arté’s mum, Chutikan Sae-Cheung. The recipe tells the story of his childhood, with the scent of freshly pressed coconut milk in his family’s kitchen and the energy of early mornings at the local market. What began at a market stall has since been reimagined on the menu at sAme sAme, but below is the blueprint, the original recipe his parents made together and the one that sparked his journey into loving and cooking Thai food. Creamy coconut rice, sweet ripe mango and crispy mung beans create a timeless dessert that delights every time.
Serves 4-6 || Prep time [Overnight soak + 20 minutes] | Cook time [40-45 minutes]
Equipment List:
Steamer with tray
Two (2) cloths for steaming
Heavy-based saucepan
Additional saucepan or pot
Fine mesh strainer
Spatula
Steam pan tray
Ingredients:
Coconut Sticky Rice
2-3 sweet, ripe mangoes, peeled and sliced (for serving)
250g Thai glutinous rice
150ml coconut milk
125g caster sugar
5g sea salt
1/2 pandan leaf
Sweet Coconut Cream
250ml water
250ml coconut cream
125g caster sugar
30g rice flour
2.5g sea salt
1/2 pandan leaf
Crispy Mung Bean
100g split mung beans, skin removed
10g icing sugar
Method For Coconut Sticky Rice
Rinse the glutinous rice 2–3 times until the water runs clear and no visible starch remains. Soak overnight at room temperature.
The next day, drain the rice and gently rinse again (be careful as soaked grains are fragile).
Bring your steamer to a boil. Line the steamer tray with a damp cloth, spread the rice evenly on top, and cover with another damp cloth.
Steam for 15 minutes. Check for doneness; if still firm, continue steaming for another 10 minutes.
While the rice is cooking, place the coconut milk, caster sugar, salt, and pandan leaf into a saucepan. Gently heat over medium-low until the sugar dissolves. Do not boil. Remove from heat and discard the pandan.
Transfer the hot, cooked rice to a mixing bowl. Pour over the coconut mixture and gently fold to combine. Cover the bowl with a lid or cling film and rest for 10 minutes to allow the rice to absorb the liquid.
Method For Sweet Coconut Cream
In a heavy-based saucepan, combine the coconut cream, water, rice flour, sugar, salt, and pandan leaf. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a spatula, until the mixture thickens about 5–10 minutes.
Remove from heat and let it cool. Once cooled, strain through a fine mesh strainer to remove any lumps and the pandan leaf.
If the mixture is too thick, thin it slightly with a little extra coconut cream. Store refrigerated in an airtight container until needed.
Method For Crispy Mung Bean
Rinse mung beans 2–3 times until the water runs clear. Soak for 1–3 hours (no longer than 3 hours). Drain.
Steam the mung beans for approximately 30 minutes or until tender. Let them cool completely before frying.
In a pot of hot oil, carefully fry the beans until golden and crispy — note: they will foam heavily, so use caution. Drain on paper towels and cool fully before tossing with icing sugar.
To Serve
Spoon the warm sticky rice into bowls then place the slices of ripe mango on top. Top generously with the sweet coconut cream, then finish with a sprinkle of crispy mung beans for crunch. Serve immediately.
