(Serves 4)
12 oz sticky rice also called sweat rice or glutinous rice
1 mango, deseeded and peeled, cut into slices or chunks
6 tblsp honey
½ tsp salt
1 cup coconut milk
3 tsp cornstarch
¼ tsp sesame seeds, toasted, optional
Soak your sticky rice in water overnight, at a minimum 6 hours, the longer you soak it the better it gets.
Using cheese cloth, dampening in water and then put your rice in and wrap it up like a gift. Place in the heated steamer for 10 minutes, then flip the package over and steam for another 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and let sit in the steamer for 5 more minutes. Meanwhile in a sauce pan we are making the sauce that will infuse the rice and also be a sauce for the rice. Add the coconut milk, salt and the honey, on medium low heat stir until fully blended.
Pour ½ of the sauce into a large bowl, reserve the rest of the sauce and keep in the pan. In the large bowl unpack the sticky rice and add to the large bowl. Mix the rice and sauce when your finished mixing put it back in the cheese cloth, wrap it back up and return it to the steamer for 5 minutes, then flip the package and steam for 10 more minutes. Meanwhile with the other half of the sauce, turn the heat back on medium low, mix the cornstarch with a tablespoon of the sauce from the pan until its smooth, then pour some of the cornstarch slurry into the hot sauce to thicken it up. Add a little of the slurry at first, let the mixture come to a simmer and then check the consistency, if it needs more slurry to thicken then add some more slurry until it is at a good thickness, syrup like. Remove from heat and set aside.
Time to assemble! Add the sticky rice to your serving plate and shape with a large spoon into a round mound, if you didn't have a large scoop. Fan the sliced mango around the rice or place the chunks next the rice in a tidy pile. Pour some sauce on top of the rice and mangos and sprinkle the top with the toasted sesame seeds if your using them. Enjoy!