Mango Sticky Rice (Microwave Method)

Sweet and creamy, mango sticky rice (khao niew mamuang) is a delicious Thai dessert. This microwave method makes it so easy to make!

3.08 from 41 votes

Total Time 2 30

Course Dessert

Cuisine Asian

Servings 4 servings

2 cups white glutinous sticky rice
4 ripe mangos (preferably ataulfo honey mangos which are sometimes branded as Champagne mangos)
1 can coconut milk (13.5 oz or 2 cups)
4 inch long pandan leaves (usually found in frozen aisle in Asian markets; ok to leave out pandan leaf if you can't find it)
6 tbsp palm sugar or brown sugar
1 tsp salt
optional: toasted sesame seeds or mung beans

In a medium, microwave safe bowl, measure out 2 cups of uncooked sticky rice. Rinse with water 3 to 5 times. Cover rice with water and soak overnight or for at least 2 hours.
After letting the sticky rice properly soak, rinse rice one more time and drain out excess water. Add 1/2 cup of water into microwave safe bowl with the rice. Wet a large paper towel and cover the top of the bowl with the wet paper towel. Microwave on high for 8 minutes.
Carefully remove bowl from microwave and use a large spoon to mix rice. Add in 1 cup of water and mix. Cover again with wet paper towel and microwave for another 3 minutes. Let rice rest in microwave for 5 minutes. Carefully remove bowl of rice from microwave and fluff rice. Rice should be tender and slightly sticky. If rice is still hard, add in another few tablespoons of water and microwave for another 1-2 minutes. Repeat steps until rice is tender to preference.

In a small sauce pan add in 1 can of coconut milk and pandan leaf. If you can't find pandan leaf at your market, you can skip the pandan leaf. Using a spoon, mix coconut milk and pandan leaf. Using medium heat, bring coconut milk to a boil. Turn off heat and remove from heat.
Set aside 1/2 cup of coconut milk into a small bowl. This will be your coconut milk drizzle for later.
To the rest of the coconut milk in the pot, add 6 tablespoons of palm sugar or brown sugar. Using low heat, melt all the sugar and mix. Then add in 1 teaspoon of salt and stir everything together.
Once the sugar and salt has melted and mixed into the coconut milk, add in the cooked sticky rice from earlier. Mix coconut milk mixture with the rice until the rice has been evenly coated with coconut milk.

Peel and cut ripe mango to preference.
Serve sliced mangos with a scoop of coconut sticky rice. Drizzle with coconut milk.
Optional: top with toasted mung bean or sesame seeds.

Store leftover mangos, sticky rice, and coconut sauce in an airtight container in the fridge. If possible, keep each item in separate containers until ready to serve. Sticky rice and coconut sauce can be kept in the fridge for up to 5 days.
When serving leftovers, you can first microwave sticky rice for 30 seconds at a time until desired temperature and texture. You can also heat up the coconut sauce in a small sauce pan on the stove or microwave it.
Mangos are best peeled and cut immediately before serving. Precut mangos tend to brown and get too soft if precut.

Keyword mango sticky rice