Mango with Coconut Sticky Rice

When mangoes (mangos?) are in season, I go a bit crazy. I buy them by the flat, then race to eat them all before the fruit flies push me out the door and lock it so they can have them all to themselves. I never cook mangoes, never make smoothies with them, never do anything but peel and eat them. Except for once a year. Once a year, I remember sticky rice and mango and I go out and buy some sticky rice so that I can make this. It's the easiest and most delicious thing, and it's pretty impressive too, I think, for something so simple. 

You need sticky rice to make this, and half the battle is finding the right kind. The rest is easy. Sushi rice is not sticky rice. You need to buy rice that is sometimes called sweet rice or glutinous rice. The easiest way to tell is to just have a look at the grains of rice. If they are slightly translucent you've got the wrong rice. Sticky rice is chalk white and opaque before cooking. You do need to soak it before cooking, preferably overnight, so plan ahead!

Left to right: basmati, medium grain, sticky rice

Coconut sticky rice with mango

Adapted from Hot, Sour, Salty, Sweet by Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid

Serves 3-4

1½ cups sticky rice

1 cup coconut milk

½ cup sugar

½ teaspoon salt

2 ripe mangoes

gratuitous black sesame seeds for garnish, optional

1. Rinse the rice and soak it in fresh water to cover for about 8 hours. You can also soak it in warm water for 2 hours. Drain and place in a metal sieve.
2. Bring a pot of water to a boil, and balance the sieve on top of the pot. Make sure the water is not touching the bottom of the sieve. Cover with a lid and steam for about 15 minutes. Now turn the rice over in the sieve so that it steams evenly. You want the rice on the bottom to be on the top and vice versa. Steam for another 10 minutes, then test. When the rice is ready, it will be shiny and sticky (!) and will be cooked all the way through. Remove from heat but leave covered.
3. Meanwhile, combine the coconut milk, sugar and salt in a medium saucepan, and heat, stirring until the sugar is dissolved. Do not boil. Stir in the rice and cover and let sit for 20-60 minutes so that the rice absorbs all the liquid. 
4. Peel the mangoes, halve them and slice thickly, either lengthwise or crosswise. As you can see, I couldn't make up my mind. However you do it, the flesh around the pit is the cook's treat.
5. To serve, arrange the sticky rice and mango on a platter or in bowls. Serve immediately, as the rice will dry out if exposed to air.

The Daring Cooks are on a roll!

Challenges for the Daring Cooks are announced to members on the 17th of every month, and posted publicly on the 14th of the following month. I always eagerly check the forum to find out what the month's challenge is, then leave it till the last day. Why? I have no idea, but I am a bit of a procrastinator. This month was no exception. I checked the forum last night, and realized in a panic that I  only had a day. So, while I should have been doing the last of my unpacking after my move, I made stuffed grape leaves instead. I had purchased the grape leaves last week in a rare show of foresight, but that was all I had. So, I dug through my not-yet stocked fridge and cupboards and this is what I came up with:

I wanted to put some meat in the rolls, as those on the forum preferred the meat version to the vegetarian ones. Now, the only meat I had was a frozen package of ground caribou and I wasn't about to make a trip out. Then I remembered the Thanksgiving leftovers. I had been sent home with the raw turkey liver, as nobody in my family would touch it. I also had 4 litres of turkey stock I had made with the carcass. I added sumac, mace, pomegranate molasses, tomato paste, cilantro, onions and garlic to the basmati rice and liver mixture. My jar of grape leaves was unpleasantly briny, so needed lots of blanching, leaving them quite delicate. I actually found the smell of the grape leaves on my hands really unpleasant and hard to remove. Luckily the finished rolls were perfectly seasoned and delicious. I served them with local cherry tomatoes, olive oil, sumac and cilantro. It was a nice lunch, and an even better break from unpacking.

Recipe:

1 jar grape leaves, rinsed and blanched to remove salt

olive oil

2 onions, finely chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup basmati rice

1 cup stock or water

3 tablespoons slivered almonds or pine nuts

2 tablespoons pomegranate molasses

2 tablespoons tomato paste

2 teaspoons ground sumac

1 teaspoon ground mace

1 turkey liver, diced (completely optional!)

salt

Rinse rice and set aside. Saute onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until onion is softened but not browned. Add rice and stock. Bring to a boil, cover and cook for about 10 minutes on medium-low, until liquid is absorbed and rice is partially cooked. Cool. Add remaining ingredients and salt lightly (the leaves will add more). Spread leaves vein side up on work surface, trim stem off and roll 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of rice mixture tightly in leaves, folding sides in. You can put a couple of leaves together for larger rolls. Pack tightly in a steamer, in layers if necessary, and place a plate on top. Steam over boiling water in a covered pot for 30 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature, with tomatoes, olives, and cheese.

Blog-checking lines: Our October 2010 hostess, Lori of Lori’s Lipsmacking Goodness, has challenged The Daring Cooks to stuff grape leaves. Lori chose a recipe from Aromas of Aleppo and a recipe from The New Book of Middle Eastern Food.

Find the full challenge PDF here, with recipes, pictures, and more!