If you haven’t had sticky rice for dessert, it’s time to change that. Warm and textured, with a perfect combination of sweet and savory, sticky rice is a perfect palate cleanser after a delicious meal. While the dish is customarily served with mango, a simple fruit swap of fresh-cut strawberries can really take things up a notch.
The beauty of this switch is how simple it is. Strawberries bring juicy sweetness and balancing acidity, and there’s no need to fuss with figuring out the best way to peel a mango. The fruit doesn’t come in until the final step, so prepare the rice as you normally would. Once the rice is cooked, combine salt, coconut milk, and either condensed milk or sugar to form the sweet syrup that will flavor the rice and be drizzled over the top.
You can serve the strawberries raw or make them into a jam with ginger and black pepper to add nuance to the flavor. Cut flavorful fresh strawberries into thin slices and fan them over the rice; you can dust them with sugar if they are bland or out of season. Finish the dessert with the sauce, peanuts, coconut flakes, and, if you want a hit of fresh greenery, thin strips of fresh mint. For a fun snack, grab some rice paper wrappers (like those used in Vietnamese spring rolls) and wrap your fruit-topped sticky rice into cigar-shaped bundles. These can be served on their own, with the coconut sauce, or even with a fruit yogurt dip.
How to cook sticky rice
If you’ve tried to cook sticky rice and come away with a textural nightmare, you’re not alone. There are different methods for cooking this dish, so choose one based on the equipment and time you have. You can use a pot on the stovetop, rice cooker, or steamer basket, but no matter what, starting with the right rice is crucial. Glutinous rice is one of 14 major types of rice, and it is used in numerous sweet and savory sticky rice dishes, as well as mochi, thanks to its high starch content that congeals nicely when cooked. If you can’t find it, use sushi rice instead.
There’s a key decision to make when cooking sticky rice: to soak or not to soak. Soaking the rice allows it to become more tender, which is better for desserts. Traditionally, the rice is soaked for 3 to 12 hours, but there are shortcuts if you’re low on time, such as using hot water for a faster soak. You may not get the perfect texture with this method, but it can serve in a pinch. If using black sticky rice, which will look beautiful contrasted with the red strawberries, a soak is necessary; black rice still has an outer hull, making the water absorption process take longer. Fluff the rice once it’s done cooking, fold in most of the sweet coconut cream, and serve while the rice is warm but not hot.
