Thai Mango Sticky Rice
By :Vegan Instant Pot Cookbook By Nisha Vora
vegan
The best dessert I’ve eaten while traveling abroad is Thai mango sticky rice. It might be one of the best desserts I’ve eaten, period. Sweet, sticky rice and juicy mangos are smothered in a rich coconut sauce, creating an irresistible blend of sweet and salty, chewy and creamy.
Cooking this dessert usually requires the rice to be soaked for several hours or overnight, and then steamed in a tall aluminum pot and bamboo basket. The Instant Pot makes this process quicker, more easily accessible, and eliminates the soaking step.
Traditionally, mango sticky rice is topped with toasted or fried yellow mung beans (dry-toast them in a skillet for a few minutes until golden brown and crispy), but you can substitute toasted sesame seeds for an equally delicious crunch.
vegan
Votes: 5
Rating: 5
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Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Thai
Difficulty Medium
Browse Category Dessert, Vegan & Vegetarian
Duration 30-60 min
Diet Gluten Free, Plant-Based, Vegan, Vegetarian
Cooking Technique Pressure Cook
Main Ingredient Coconut Milk, Mango, Thai sticky rice
Keyword instant pot ribs recipes, instant pot rice, instant pot vegan recipe, instant pot vegetarian recipes, pressure cooker recipes, rice, rice recipe, vegan, vegan recipes
Prep Time 5 Minutes
Cook Time 25 Minutes
Servings
4 Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Thai sticky rice sweet rice, or glutinous rice
  • 1 1/3 cups canned full-fat coconut milk well stirred
  • 7 tbsp organic cane sugar
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt or kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 ripe Ataúlfo mangoes peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced or diced (see Tip), honey, about 6 ounces each
  • 2 tbsp yellow mung beans toasted, or 2 teaspoons toasted white sesame seeds or black sesame seeds
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Thai
Difficulty Medium
Browse Category Dessert, Vegan & Vegetarian
Duration 30-60 min
Diet Gluten Free, Plant-Based, Vegan, Vegetarian
Cooking Technique Pressure Cook
Main Ingredient Coconut Milk, Mango, Thai sticky rice
Keyword instant pot ribs recipes, instant pot rice, instant pot vegan recipe, instant pot vegetarian recipes, pressure cooker recipes, rice, rice recipe, vegan, vegan recipes
Prep Time 5 Minutes
Cook Time 25 Minutes
Servings
4 Servings
Ingredients
  • 1 cup Thai sticky rice sweet rice, or glutinous rice
  • 1 1/3 cups canned full-fat coconut milk well stirred
  • 7 tbsp organic cane sugar
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt or kosher salt plus more to taste
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 ripe Ataúlfo mangoes peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced or diced (see Tip), honey, about 6 ounces each
  • 2 tbsp yellow mung beans toasted, or 2 teaspoons toasted white sesame seeds or black sesame seeds
vegan
Votes: 5
Rating: 5
Rate this recipe!
Print Recipe
Instructions
  1. For easy removal of the pan from the Instant Pot, create a foil sling. (Alternatively, you can use oven mitts to carefully remove the pan.)
  2. Place the sticky rice in a large bowl and add water to cover. Gently stir the rice with your hands, then drain the water, and repeat 4 or 5 times until the water runs almost clear. This removes the excess starch and prevents the rice from becoming gummy. Place the rinsed rice in a heatproof glass or stainless steel bowl that fits inside the inner pot of your Instant Pot. Add 2/3 cup cold water to the bowl to cover the rice.
  3. On the counter, place the bowl on top of the steamer rack with the handles facing up and arrange the foil sling (if using) underneath the steamer rack. Pour 1 1/2 cups water into the inner pot of the Instant Pot. Carefully lower the steamer rack and bowl into the inner pot using the foil sling or steamer rack handles.
  4. Secure the lid and set the Pressure Release to Sealing. Select the Pressure Cook setting at high pressure and set the cook time to 13 minutes.
  5. Once the 13-minute timer has completed and beeps, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes and then switch the Pressure Release knob from Sealing to Venting to release any remaining steam.
  6. While the pot is depressurizing, in a small saucepan, bring 2/3 cup of the coconut milk to a simmer over medium heat. Add 5 tbsp of the cane sugar and 1/4 tsp of the salt and whisk until the sugar is dissolved and the milk tastes salty-sweet. Keep the sauce warm.
  7. Open the Instant Pot and, with oven mitts, transfer the cooked sticky rice to a large bowl and pour the warm coconut milk mixture on top. Stir well to combine and gently fluff with a fork. Cover and let it sit until the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. You can let the rice rest at room temperature for up to 2 hours.
  8. Meanwhile, set aside 2 tbsp of the remaining coconut milk in a small bowl. Wipe out the saucepan and add the remaining coconut milk. Add the cornstarch to the small bowl and whisk until smooth, forming a slurry. Bring the coconut milk in the saucepan to a simmer over medium heat, whisking frequently. Whisk the slurry into the coconut milk on the stove and simmer until the mixture has thickened, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the remaining 2 tbsp cane sugar and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt until the sugar is dissolved. The coconut cream should be slightly saltier and less sweet than the coconut milk mixture used to cover the rice.
  9. When ready to serve, use a 1-cup measuring cup to scoop the coconut rice into mounds on individual plates and arrange the sliced or diced mango alongside. Drizzle the warm coconut cream over the rice and garnish with the toasted yellow mung beans or sesame seeds. Serve immediately. Do not warm up or refrigerate, as the rice will turn rock hard.
Recipe Notes

Tip:

Ataúlfo (honey) mangos are the best variety of mango available in the West for this Thai dessert. Compared to the more common Tommy Atkins mangos (usually available year-round), they are smaller, sweeter, more flavorful, and less fibrous. They’re available from late February to early August. You can find Thai sticky rice, sweet rice, or glutinous rice at well-stocked grocery stores, Asian markets, or online.

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17 replies
  1. Liz Looney
    Liz Looney says:

    Is there a typo about how much mango? It says 2 ounces, which is just about 1 or 2 little cubes. Then it says “about 6 each”, which makes no sense. I think it might mean 2 mangoes, about 6 ounces each.

  2. Nisha Vora
    Nisha Vora says:

    Hi Liz, I’m the author of this recipe, and it appears to have been incorrectly pasted here from my cookbook. This is what the ingredients should say for the mango: “2 ripe Ataúlfo (honey) mangoes (about 6 ounces each), peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced or diced.” Hope that helps!

  6. Alisonwanderlust
    Alisonwanderlust says:

    Just back from 3 weeks in Thailand where i got addicted to Mango Stick Rice. This recipe is as good as anything I ate there. Happy girl!

  8. David
    David says:

    What happens with the 2 tbsp of coconut milk? I see 2/3 for the first milk to soak rice, the rest minus the 2 tbsp…what’s the 2 tbsp for?

  9. Nisha Vora
    Nisha Vora says:

    Hi David, I’m the author of this recipe. You put the 2 TBSP coconut milk in a small bowl and add the 1 TBSP cornstarch to it, stirring to combine – this is the slurry.

    The rest of the coconut milk (remaining 2/3 cup minus this 2 TBSP) goes in the saucepan, as indicated in step 8. Once it simmers, you add the slurry and whisk to combine.

    Hope that helps.

  10. John
    John says:

    Hi Nisha, once I have let the liquid absorb into the rice in the covered bowl for 20 minutes, should I leave the bowl covered or uncovered for the up to two hours at room temperature until I am ready to serve? How cool should I let the rice get before serving?

  11. Nisha Vora
    Nisha Vora says:

    Hi John, you can leave the bowl covered when it rests at room temperature (minimum of 20 minutes, maximum of 2 hours). The coconut cream mixture (step 8) gets warmed on the stove and then poured over the mounds of rice, so it’s fine if the rice is at room temperature, as the coconut cream will lightly warm the rice.

  12. Mars
    Mars says:

    Hi! Does anyone know if only canned coconut milk will work? Would something like plain, unsweetened SILK coconut milk work?

  13. Nisha Vora
    Nisha Vora says:

    Hi Mars, I’m the author of this recipe. I haven’t tried any other milks since canned full-fat coconut milk is traditional in this recipe, but most other milks, including carton coconut milks, are not thick enough to get the precise texture you’re looking for. I don’t think it would be bad, just won’t be the best version of the recipe.

  14. L. Le
    L. Le says:

    I didn’t believe this recipe would be as good as it is but I never want to buy mango sticky rice again! It’s THAT good. Also really easy.

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