Mango Sticky Rice by David Thompson

SWEETEN WHITE STICKY RICE

Ingredients

• 2 cups white sticky rice

• 2 cups coconut cream

• 2 cups castor (superfine) sugar

• large pinch - 2 teaspoons salt

Soak rice overnight. Next day, drain, rinse and steam until tender - about 20 minutes. Make sure rice is not piled too high in the centre, so that it cooks evenly: test some grains from the thickest area. Meanwhile, stir coconut cream with sugar and salt until dissolved.

When rice is cooked, remove from steamer and pour prepared coconut cream over rice. Stir to incorporate thoroughly, then cover and set aside for 15 minutes in a warm place before serving - either as it is, or accompanied by slices of fresh fruit and blanketed with Sweet Coconut Cream.

SWEET COCONUT CREAM

gati lart naa kanom

This cream is used as a topping for desserts.

Ingredients

• 2 cups coconut cream

• 1 pandanus leaf

• 2 teaspoons rice flour, mixed with a little water or coconut cream to form a paste

• large pinch of salt

• ¾-1 cup white sugar

Heat coconut cream with pandanus leaf, then stir in flour paste and salt. When thick, add sugar and stir until dissolved. (Do not add sugar before flour has thickened the cream or it will lose its sheen, becoming an unappetising grey.)

Strain before serving.

Recipe from thai food by David Thompson

Some more tips from Kai, my friend and former senior colleague, who has perfected many Thai dishes. When she knew I was curious about how to prepare the sweetened glutinous rice, she gave me some tips, which included:

1. Source the proper type of glutinous rice - ข้าวเหนียวเขี้ยวงู

2. Gently wash the rice with 'alum’ for 5 minutes to remove the white starch from the grain, then soak the rice with plain water overnight.

3. The next day, keep some of the oaking water aside and ensure to shake out the excessive water from the grains.

4. Prepare the special utensil designed especially for steaming sticky rice (an aluminium pot & bamboo basket - หม้อนึ่ง - ซึ้งนึ่งข้าวเหนียว)

5. Use cheesecloth to line the inside of the bamboo basket to protect the rice from sticking to the basket.

6. Fill the water inside the aluminium steamer - turn on the stove (I guess medium to high should be okay), put the bamboo basket with rice on top, cover with lid.

7. 15 mins after the water comes to a boil, bring the top part of the rice to the bottom of the steamer, then spray the ‘put aside soaking water’ on the top layer of the rice and steam for another 15 mins.

8. Ensure the rice has been properly steamed. While the rice is freshly cooked, mix in the prepared hot coconut cream thoroughly and leave it covered for another 10 minutes.