Recipe: mango sticky rice just like you eat it in Thailand
Asian cuisine is more popular than ever, but making perfect bao buns or gyoza yourself can still be quite challenging. Emma de Thouars (yes, of Emma’s food annoyances!) shows in her new cookbook Amazing Asia that Asian cooking is not difficult at all. Take this ultimate mango sticky rice…
“In Thailand, I ate mango sticky rice almost every day. In the north, that is, because that is where the sticky rice needed for this heavenly dish grows in abundance. In the south, they often completely ruin this dish: with horrible rice (not sticky) or sesame seeds instead of the crispy mung beans that make this dish so delicious. Remember this if you have a trip to Thailand planned. And if not, this recipe is always a hit. It does require some planning: both the sticky rice and mung beans need to be soaked first, but once that is done, this dish is on the table in no time. Can’t find mung beans? Just leave them out, but don’t replace them with sesame seeds, as they add absolutely nothing.”
How to make mango sticky rice
- Rinse the sticky rice in a sieve until the water running off it is clear. Put the rice in a bowl with plenty of water and soak for 8 to 12 hours. Put the mung beans in a bowl with plenty of water and soak for 2 hours. Drain the mung beans and spread them out on kitchen paper or a clean tea towel to dry.
- Bring water to a boil in a steamer or a pan in which you normally place your steaming basket. Cover the inside of your steamer or basket with a clean cheesecloth or tea towel. Drain and rinse the rice and put it in the cloth-lined steamer or basket. Steam the rice until tender, for 35 to 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, put 150 milliliters of coconut milk with 1 tablespoon of sugar and a pinch of salt in a saucepan. Heat until the sugar and salt have dissolved and set aside.
- Heat the remaining coconut milk and sugar with a pinch of salt in a pan until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the steamed rice to the coconut milk in the pan and turn the heat to low. Stir well and let simmer for 1 to 2 minutes, until the rice has absorbed the coconut milk. Turn off the heat and let the rice cool until slightly warmer than room temperature.
- Meanwhile, heat a wok or frying pan and roast the mung beans in it for about 3 minutes, until golden brown and crispy. Season them very lightly with salt.
- If using fresh mangoes, peel and halve them. Divide the rice over four bowls or plates. Cut the mango halves into slices and place them on the rice. Pour some of the coconut sauce over it and finish with the roasted mung beans.
Title: Amazing Asia
Author: Emma de Thouars
Price: €29,99
Publisher: Nijgh & van Ditmar
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