I love you sticky rice with mango ..I really do.

There is a new love in my life and it's name is"Khao Neeo Mamuang".... or sticky rice with mango. I had my first taste at Thai fresh a few weeks ago(without mango). Then we went in for a family Valentine's treat and they were sold out(not surprising) . So Jam said, "you can make it at home" and gathered up a small pile of ingredients from their market and sent me on my way to conquer my own sticky rice.
( this is not my photo we ate ours to fast to photograph) One of the most important aspects of the sticky rice is the rice you use called, sticky rice or sweet rice.
Also important to this dish is that you soak the rice over night or at least four hours.
Steaming the rice (not boiling) is also important.
I steamed my rice in a dim sum stacked bamboo steamer lined with flour sack towels and it came out perfect.
This is the real deal bamboo rice steamer and now I think I need one.
I used Mexican mangoes cause that is what we have at our market right now. I do not think I have ever had a Thai mango, but they are said to be sweeter and creamier than their Mexican counterparts.( and some would say I have never really tasted a real mango)(the Mexican mango is on the left and Indian mango on the right)


~Needless to say my sticky rice was delish. Jam was right, I could make it at home!!... and so can you. I think it makes a great breakfast as well, if you have a picky lil monster like me.
Jam also said I could cut the sugar or use agave nectar as the sweetener if I like, I went with her recipe as is though, so I would have a good reference point. I found that I did not need to change it for our house's taste buds.

~The pandan leaves are kin to a vanilla type flavor....They definitely have their own distinct flavor , but it acts like an accent to the sugar flavor the way vanilla adds depth.I think they are the secret ingredient here, I got mine from Jam and the coconut cream and rice and it was all around 5 bucks.
This will be a mainstay through the end of the summer around this house. I think it would be tasty with other fruits as well , strawberries for sure!


Here is Jam's recipe from her blog Thai cooking with jam

2 cups sweet or glutinous rice (either long grain or short grain. Long grain is preferred just because that’s the kind we use in Thailand but if you have short grains, they work just as good. It will take longer to cook short grains because the grain is thicker)
2 cups coconut cream (a small can)
1 cup sugar
large pinch of salt
Pandunas Leaves or Pandan leaves or the essence (optional)

Soak rice overnight or for about 4 hours. Drain, rinse and steam over medium heat in a steamer for about 15-20 minutes. Any steamer will do just fine. If you have one of those bamboo steamer, go for it. Check if the rice is cooked from the thickest part of the pile.

If a steamer is not available, put soaked sticky rice in a bowl and cover with a dish or cheesecloth. Cook for 3 minutes without adding any water. Check if the rice is cooked, if not, then cook for another 3 minutes and keep checking.

Meanwhile, in a pan, heat coconut milk, add sugar and a pinch of salt. Stir until dissolved. If using Pandunas leave, add it to the sauce and simmer for about 5 minutes to let it infuse into the sauce. When the rice is cooked, pour prepared coconut cream over rice. Stir to mix thoroughly. Cover and set aside for 15 minutes in a warm place.