Earlier this month I went on a mom only junket with my friend Jen. We went to Vegas! Our trip there was for the food and not all of the other more “sinful” elements it is known for. We stayed at the ultra *fabulous* Wynn hotel, which has some of the best restaurants in town. Just like the knock-our-socks-off meal we had at Joel Robuchon the restaurant scene there is very luxurious and expensive. When many of my chef friends recommended a casual Thai restaurant off of the strip, I was eager to try it.
Seriously folks Lotus of Siam is the best Thai food, and perhaps the best FOOD, I’ve ever eaten. It is very casual and lacking in pretension, which is such a breath of fresh air in Vegas. It has been favorably reviewed by countless food magazines and critics. The reviewer from Chow said “Don’t skip dessert, or you’ll regret it deeply!” Well folks, I have to admit I gorged myself to the point of not being able to eat dessert the night we went. It is a decision that I will regret until I am able to go back! Me of all people skipping dessert, it is shameful! The restaurant is famous for their Sticky Rice with Mango and Coconut cream. I have been obsessed with Thai food and creating this dessert since my return. Here is my version. It is really wonderful and I so look forward to having it at Lotus of Siam next time I’m there.
Sticky Rice with Mangoes and Coconut Cream, inspired by Lotus of Siam and the friendly folks at Shuang Hur in Minneapolis.
2 cups of glutinous sticky rice (found at Asian markets), rinsed and soaked overnight
1 1/2 cups coconut cream or milk
1/2 cup packed brown sugar (add more to taste)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 vanilla bean, split down the center and scraped
Garnishes:
Shredded coconut, fresh or sweetened
toasted sesame seeds for garnish
1 large mango
spiced pineapple sauce (optional)
papaya
Special equipment:
Sticky rice steaming pot and basket
Thai Sticky rice serving basket – 4 in
Zojirushi Rice Cooker I have it on good authority from Rachel at coconut & lime (and several other foodies on Twitter) that this is a great rice cooker/steamer and works perfectly for sticky rice.
Rinse the soaked rice a few times, until the water is no longer milky when drained off. Place the rice in the sticky rice basket, which has been soaked for about 30 minutes. Fill the pot with about 3 inches of water and bring to a boil. Set the basket of rice over boiling water.
Add a lid that is big enough so that it does not touch the rice. Allow to steam for about 20-25 minutes.
While the rice is cooking prepare the coconut cream:
In a non-reactive sauce pot (stainless steel works nicely. If you don’t use a non-reactive pot the coconut cream tastes of metal), simmer the coconut cream, sugar, salt, vanilla. Taste for sweetness and add a touch more sugar if you think necessary. Remove from heat and allow to sit while rice cooks.
Carefully lift the lid and see if the rice is done. The rice along the edge of the basket will turn translucent.
Once the rice is done on that side flip the rice over and continue to cook for another 10-15 minutes. Flip the rice over by holding the edges of the basket and jerking it downward. It may take a couple of times until the ball of rice flips completely.
Put the rice into a bowl and pour the coconut cream over it a 1/2 cup at a time.
With two forks gently separate the rice and incorporate the coconut cream. You don’t want to press the rice together. Repeat with more coconut milk until it is flavored to your liking. Reserve a bit of the coconut milk to pour over the finished dessert.
If you are using the individual sticky rice baskets be sure to wash them under water several times before using and all to dry. Sprinkle a thin layer of shredded coconut along the bottom.
Spoon a layer of the sticky rice onto the coconut.
Slice the mango into very thin strips and place over the rice. Cut the papaya into small cubes and arrange on the mango. Drizzle with some of the reserved coconut sauce. Remember that you are using a basket, so don’t overdue the sauce or it will pool up under the basket. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds.
For an alternative to the basket you can arrange the rice and fruit on a dish and serve with the pineapple sauce.
I love mango and sticky rice, but for those of us without a rice steaming basket, what else can we use to cook the rice?
Hi James,
Do you own a steamer basket for your wok? Or just a steam basket for a pot? You can line it with cheese cloth and cook it that way instead!
Thanks! Zoë
Sounds like your trip was wonderful and I just love rice desserts! (I’ve never even seen a basket like that)
That looks so luscious! I have a steamer basket, but I wonder if you could make the rice in a rice cooker. I just got a nice Zojirushi cooker I’d like to use.
Hi Susan,
Let me know if the rice cooker works? Does it have the ability to steam? There were recipes on the web that called for boiling the rice, but the person at Shuang Hur said it is more traditional to steam.
Thanks, Zoë
What a gorgeous presentation. Looks great!
I am really interested in whether a rice cooker will work for this. Am planning a Girl Scout event around Asian culture. We are doing elementary sushi (vegetarian) as well as sticky rice with mango. Plan to use rice cooker and am getting ready to experiment before working with the older girls who will run the event. Will I have problems with using the rice cooker??
Hi Valerie,
What a wonderful project for the girl scouts. Preparing it in a rice cooker will mean boiling the rice as apposed to steaming. I’ve seen several recipes that do this and they look fabulous. I think it will work well!
Some of the recipes call for boiling the rice in a coconut milk/water combo. That way the rice will take on the coconut flavor as it cooks!
Have a great time! Let me know how it goes.
Zoë
While it is more traditional to steam glutinous rice, my zojirushi makes it just fine (it’s a plus that it’s more of a “set it and forget it” preparation). My rice maker has a special setting just for glutinous rice, so it cooks very slowly. It’s a bit more sticky when it comes out of the pan than if it had been steamed, but using it in recipes has never been an issue.
This recipe looks fantastic… I’ll have to find some ripe mango soon – it’s my favorite fruit. ^_^
Hi Devlyn,
Thank you so much for letting us know! I think I have to get one! which model do you use?
Thanks! Zoë
That looks sooooo fabulous!!
I unfortunately never got to Lotus of Siam but heard many things about it. I wish I could afford Joel Robuchon. Aside from that, I think the next time I go I’m going to set up a date at Picasso in Bellagio. It’s suppose to have wonderful food too and is where they filmed part of the first of Clooney’s Ocean’s 11 (the place where he slips Tess the cell phone).
wow yum yum– this recipe hits so many favorite textures and flavors!
I have never cooked rice that way. I love rice pudding though, this sounds great!!!
Hey Matthew,
Picasso looks amazing! Walked in 10 years ago, but never ended up eating there. Couldn’t get a res!
MUST go to Lotus of Siam!
Have fun! Zoë
i just recently got back from thailand where I learned how to make mango and sticky rice and I have been dying to try it at home ever since. I love your little serving baskets, so cute!
Hi Jennifer,
This is like sticky rice pudding. You can add more coconut cream to make it more “custardy,” but we liked it sticky with just a drizzle of the cream over it.
Enjoy! Zoë
Hi Katie,
I’m SO jealous! Was the food just unbelievable? It is on my short list of places I must go to!
Zoë
Love, love LOVE Lotus of Siam – it’s the first reservation I make when I land in Vegas. Unfortunately I’ve never been lucky enough to visit during mango season and they will not serve this dessert unless the mangoes are perfect.
I will say their sticky rice and coconut ice cream is a good substitute, though. Thanks for the lesson – I’ll have to give this a try at home!
Hi Heidi,
You made my day! What you are saying is that even if I had ordered it, they wouldn’t have served it to me? That is great news, now I don’t feel as though I blew my one chance! 😉
Thanks!!! Zoë
Yes, the chef at Lotus is verrrry particular about the quality of the ingredients and will not serve an item if it is not up to their standards. They will not serve mangoes if they are not in season (no matter how much you beg and, believe me, I’ve tried!)
This is one of my absolute favorites but I’ve never made it myself! Thank you for a wonderful post!!!!! I will be brave one of these days!!
That looks so luscious! This is my favorite Thai dessert…I remember buying some from a really old place in Bangkok that has been around forever, then eating it in the shade of Wat Arun…bliss 🙂
I have a regulat steamer but that rice steaming basket looks so great…will definitely keep my eyes open for one in this part of the world! As with those like sticky rice baskets! So pretty 🙂
Love the individual rice baskets, and thanks for the tip regarding the cheesecloth, as I’m not sure I’ll be able to easily source that traditional steaming basket here.
We bought a rice steamer basket for cheap at an Asian gocery store. Kids love the rice cooked this way, and it’s easy. Downside: rice steamer basket sometimes gets used as a hat by one of the aforementioned kids. We’ve also steamed sticky rice in the microwave – do internet search for sticky rice,microwave,saran.
I just made sticky rice too! I topped mine with Cherimoyas!
I love sticky rice! Another serving idea for when mango is not in season is sliced strawberries. I also have had it with a quarter of a whole pineapple with the fruit sliced thin on top of the pineapple.Beautiful presentation.
Can you tell me where you got those colorful individual sticky rice baskets?
Hi Maureen,
There are many Asian markets in Minneapolis and I they carry these baskets. You might find them on the internet if you google Thai Sticky Rice Baskets.
Thanks, Zoë
It’s hard to come by well-informed people about this topic, but you seem like you know what you’re talking about! Thanks