FOOD + ENTERTAINING turn to medium heat . Steam for 20 to 25 minutes , until the rice is cooked through , with no hard raw bits in the middle . Remove the pot from the stove . Let sit , covered , while you prepare the other ingredients .
While the rice is cooking , prepare the sauce . Combine the coconut milk , sugar and salt in a saucepan . Cook over medium heat or medium-low heat until the mixture is hot and the sugar is melted . Do not allow the coconut sauce to boil .
If the coconut milk you ’ re using is thin : Combine the cornstarch and 4 tablespoons of water in a small bowl . Stir to completely dissolve the cornstarch . Add half of the slurry to the sauce . Stir immediately to thicken the sauce . You can adjust the thickness of the sauce by slowly adding a bit more water or cornstarch slurry , if needed . The sauce shouldn ’ t be too thick , but should coat the back of a spoon .
Carefully remove the bowl of sticky rice from the steamer with your oven mitts on . Pour 1 cup of the sauce into the bowl . Stir to mix well until the sauce is fully absorbed .
The mango sticky rice is ready to serve when the rice mixture and the sauce cool to room temperature or lukewarm .
To serve , transfer 1 ⁄ 3 cup of the coconut rice to individual small serving bowls or plates . Place the sliced mango on the side . Pour a few spoonfuls of the remaining coconut sauce over the rice . Garnish with toasted sesame seeds , if using .
Recipe from Maggie Zhu , Omnivore ’ s Cookbook
NOTES
Most of the time you don ’ t need the cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce , since the coconut milk should have a nice creamy texture . But I ’ ve come across some brands of coconut milk that have a thinner consistency . Or sometimes you might prefer a thicker and creamier sauce . In this case , adding cornstarch will give the sauce a nicer texture .
1
⁄ 3 cup rice with half a mango creates a great dessert size . But if you prefer a larger dessert or want to serve this as a standalone snack , you can use ½ cup rice per serving to make 4 servings in total .
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