What Mango Sticky Rice is
Mango sticky rice — khao niao mamuang — is the best known Thai dessert: glutinous rice steamed and then folded through sweetened, salted coconut milk, served warm or at room temperature beside slices of ripe mango.
The salt is what makes it work. Without it the dish is flatly sweet; with it the coconut rice reads as rich rather than sugary, and the mango stays the brightest thing on the plate. In Thailand it is seasonal, tied to the mango harvest, which is why it is treated as an occasion rather than a standard.
How we make it
Ours is printed as “Mango with Sweet Sticky Rice” at $12.45, on the dessert list.
It sits alongside the rest of our Thai desserts — black rice pudding, taro and pumpkin custard with sweet rice, bua-loi rice balls in sweet coconut milk, pandan custard toast with coconut ice cream, and fried banana with coconut ice cream.
Questions we get asked
- What is mango sticky rice?
- Glutinous rice steamed and folded through sweetened, lightly salted coconut milk, served with fresh mango. It is eaten together in one spoonful — the rice is rich and the mango is sharp, and neither works alone.
- Is mango sticky rice seasonal?
- In Thailand it follows the mango harvest. Here it is on our dessert menu year-round, though mango is a fresh fruit and quality moves with the season.
- Why is some mango sticky rice green?
- Green versions use pandan leaf, which colours the rice and adds a grassy, vanilla-like note. Ours is the plain white coconut version.
- Can I order mango sticky rice to take away?
- Yes. Order online for pickup or call (425) 967-6531. It travels well — the rice is meant to be eaten warm or at room temperature.