Mango Sticky Rice London: A Thai Dessert at Home

Mango sticky rice, or khao niao mamuang, is a Thai dessert of sweet coconut-soaked glutinous rice served with ripe mango and often a little salty coconut sauce. It is easy to make in a London kitchen with Thai sticky rice from an Asian grocer, a steamer or saucepan, and mangoes that are fragrant and yielding.

Ingredients

1 cup (200 g) Thai glutinous rice, also called sweet rice or sticky rice
1 cup (240 ml) water, for steaming
1 cup (240 ml) full-fat coconut milk, well stirred
⅓ cup (65 g) granulated sugar
½ teaspoon fine salt, divided
1 tablespoon (8 g) rice flour or cornflour (cornstarch), for the optional sauce
2 tablespoons (30 ml) cold water, for mixing with the flour
2 large ripe mangoes (about 600 g whole), peeled and sliced
1 tablespoon (8 g) toasted sesame seeds or split mung beans, optional garnish

Instructions

Soak the rice. Rinse the glutinous rice in several changes of cold water, rubbing it gently between your fingers until the water is less cloudy. Cover with plenty of fresh water and soak for 3 hours. Drain well. This soak helps the grains cook evenly; short-grain sushi rice is not a close substitute because its texture and starch behave differently.
Steam until tender. Set a steamer over simmering water. Line the basket with damp muslin, a clean thin tea towel, or a steamer liner, and spread the drained rice in an even layer. Cover and steam for 25–30 minutes, turning the rice over once halfway through. It is ready when the grains are tender throughout, with no hard centre. Keep the water below the basket and top it up if needed.
Make the coconut mixture. While the rice steams, combine the coconut milk, sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt in a small saucepan. Warm over low heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves; do not boil, as boiling can make coconut milk split. Remove from the heat. Reserve about ¼ cup (60 ml) of this mixture if you want a coconut sauce for serving.
Season and rest the rice. Transfer the hot rice to a bowl. Pour the remaining warm coconut mixture over it and fold gently to coat the grains. Cover and leave for 20 minutes so the rice absorbs the liquid. It should be moist and glossy, not swimming in coconut milk.
Prepare the optional sauce. Stir the rice flour or cornflour into the cold water until smooth. Return the reserved coconut mixture to low heat, whisk in the slurry and cook for 1–2 minutes, stirring, until lightly thickened. Add the remaining ¼ teaspoon salt to give the sauce a gently savoury edge. Cool briefly; it thickens a little as it stands.
Serve. Peel the mangoes and cut the flesh from the stones into slices. Divide the coconut rice among four plates, arrange the mango alongside, and spoon over a little sauce. Scatter with toasted sesame seeds or mung beans if using. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips

Find the right rice. Look for Thai glutinous or sticky rice at a London Asian supermarket or online grocer. “Glutinous” describes its sticky texture, not gluten content. If you cannot find it, wait until you can; basmati, jasmine and ordinary pudding rice will not give the same result.
Choose ripe mangoes. A ripe mango smells sweet near the stem and gives slightly when pressed. Kent, Alphonso or other fragrant varieties work well; availability changes through the year, so choose by ripeness rather than variety.
Keep the rice covered. Sticky rice dries and firms quickly when exposed to air. Cover it during its 20-minute rest and while holding it briefly before serving.
Adjust the sweetness carefully. Mangoes vary in sweetness. Start with the listed sugar, then serve extra coconut sauce on the side rather than adding more sugar to the whole batch.

Serving Suggestions

Serve the rice and mango as a dessert or a sweet afternoon snack, with the warm or room-temperature rice mounded beside the fruit rather than mixed together. The optional salty coconut sauce balances ripe mango; add it gradually so the rice remains pleasantly rich instead of soggy. Toasted sesame seeds add a nutty crunch, while split mung beans are a more traditional-style topping when available. A small pot of unsweetened tea makes a simple accompaniment.

Variations

For a slightly less sweet version, reduce the sugar to ¼ cup (50 g), particularly if the mangoes are very ripe. For a dairy-free dish, the recipe is already dairy-free when made with coconut milk. If you cannot find rice flour, use the same amount of cornflour for the sauce; it thickens similarly but has a slightly less delicate finish. You can omit the sauce and garnish for a simpler plate, or use toasted coconut flakes in place of sesame seeds for extra coconut flavour. These are practical adaptations rather than a claim that every Thai household prepares the dessert in the same way.

Storage and Reheating

For food safety, refrigerate cooked rice within 2 hours of cooking; do not leave it at room temperature for longer. Store rice, coconut sauce and sliced mango separately in covered containers. The rice and sauce keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator, while cut mango is best eaten within 1–2 days. Although general guidance for many cooked leftovers is 3–4 days, cooked rice is best used promptly and should not be kept beyond 3 days here.

To reheat rice, add a teaspoon or two of water, cover, and microwave in short bursts or warm it in a steamer until steaming hot throughout. Stir or turn it so it heats evenly; USDA FSIS guidance is to reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C). Reheated sticky rice may be softer and less supple than freshly cooked rice. Warm the coconut sauce gently, adding a splash of water if it has thickened. Keep mango chilled and serve it cold or allow it to lose its refrigerator chill briefly. For best texture, make only as much rice as you plan to serve.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make mango sticky rice without a steamer?
Yes. Use a metal colander or heatproof sieve set over a saucepan of simmering water, ensuring it does not touch the water. Line it, add the drained rice, cover with a lid, and steam as directed. A rice cooker’s standard setting usually does not produce the same result unless it has a suitable sticky-rice steaming function.

Can I skip the three-hour soak?
It is not recommended for this method. Soaking lets the grains take up water before steaming, helping them cook through evenly. If time is short, soak for at least 2 hours, but check carefully for a firm centre and steam for a little longer if necessary.

Why is my sticky rice hard in the middle?
It may not have soaked long enough, the steamer may not have been hot enough, or the layer may have been too thick. Continue steaming and check again after 5 minutes. Make sure water is simmering steadily below the basket without touching the rice.

Can I use canned coconut milk?
Yes. Use full-fat canned coconut milk and stir or shake it thoroughly before measuring, because the cream and liquid can separate. Avoid sweetened coconut cream, which can make the rice overly sweet and too thick.

Can I make it ahead?
You can soak and drain the rice ahead, then keep it refrigerated in a covered container and steam it the same day. The finished rice is best served soon after soaking in the coconut mixture; chilling firms the starch, so make-ahead portions need gentle reheating before serving.

Is Thai sticky rice gluten-free?
Despite the name “glutinous rice,” the rice itself contains no gluten; the word refers to its sticky texture. Check packaging and any optional toppings for cross-contamination or added ingredients if gluten avoidance is essential.

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Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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