How to Make Colorful and Attractive Mango Sticky Rice

Mango sticky rice with five colors is a perfect blend of the sticky rice’s fragrant texture, the sweet taste of ripe mangoes, and the rich coconut milk. The variety of colors from natural ingredients makes this dish more visually appealing and attractive than ever.

Ingredients Needed

To make colorful mango sticky rice for 4-5 servings, you will need the following ingredients:

• 2 cans of coconut milk (400ml per can)
• 2 cups of sticky rice (Thai sticky rice or regular good quality sticky rice)
• 1 bunch of pandan leaves
• Sugar, salt
• Toasted sesame seeds
• 2-3 ripe mangoes (preferably cat mangoes)

Additionally, to create natural colors for the sticky rice, you will need:

• Dried butterfly pea flowers (for blue color)
• Gardenia seeds (for yellow color)
• Red rice flour or beetroot juice (for pink color)
• Pandan leaves (blended to extract juice, for green color)

Colorful Mango Sticky Rice

Detailed Steps to Follow

Step 1: Preparing the Sticky Rice

Rinse the sticky rice and soak it in water for 5-8 hours or overnight. After soaking, drain the water and let the rice dry. Soaking thoroughly helps the rice grains soften evenly and cook better.

Step 2: Steaming the Basic Sticky Rice

Place a pot of water on the stove and add a few pandan leaves to infuse fragrance. Once the water boils, place a steamer on top and add the sticky rice. Steam for about 15-20 minutes until the rice is cooked, then remove from heat.

Step 3: Coloring the Sticky Rice

Divide the steamed sticky rice into equal parts. Each part will be dyed a different color using natural ingredients such as butterfly pea flowers, gardenia seeds, beetroot juice, and pandan leaves.

Boil the coconut milk with sugar, salt, and pandan leaves, then mix each portion of sticky rice into this mixture to impart color and flavor. Mix thoroughly and quickly to ensure the sticky rice absorbs the coconut milk evenly without burning.

Step 4: Resting the Sticky Rice

After mixing, scoop the sticky rice into a large bowl, cover it, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes. This helps the sticky rice absorb the flavors and become softer.

Step 5: Making the Coconut Milk Sauce

Boil 1 can of coconut milk (400ml) with sugar, salt, and pandan leaves. Dissolve 5g of tapioca starch in a little water and add it to the boiling coconut milk, stirring until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and let it cool.

Step 6: Presentation and Enjoyment

Place the sticky rice into small bowls, press it down firmly, and then invert onto a plate. Drizzle the coconut milk sauce over the top and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds. Slice the mangoes into bite-sized pieces and arrange them alongside.

Presented Mango Sticky Rice

Important Notes

• The amount of sugar can be adjusted to taste, but use only a small amount of salt (1/2 teaspoon for 400ml of coconut milk).
• If canned coconut milk is not available, you can extract it from mature coconut flesh.
• Mangoes should be sliced just before serving to prevent browning and maintain freshness.

With this detailed recipe, you can easily make colorful mango sticky rice at home. Try it out and share your results!