Sticky mango & coconut rice pudding.

Ingredients (feeds 2) VE

100g, glutinous rice.

1 ripe mango (soft to the touch)

200ml coconut cream.

200ml mango pulp.

50g, rice flour.

150g, caster sugar.

1/2 pinch sea salt.

5g, toasted coconut to garnish.

1 teaspoon mango pearls, optional.

Method

1.Firstly, wash the rice by putting it in a sieve and running cold water over it for 1 minute or until the water is running clear and all the starch has been removed. Then soak the rice, submerged in cold water for a minimum of 2 hours, ideally overnight. In the meantime, set up a rice steamer. A pan half filled with water with a colander on top can work, once the water is boiling, cling film the colander to create a steamer. When it is boiling turn down to a medium heat and add the soaked sticky rice and begin cooking. This should take around 20 to 25 minutes to cook throughout, be sure to check that the grains are soft throughout before removing from the steamer. Remember to check that the rice is not blocking all the holes in the steamer before you put the lid on otherwise the steam won’t surround the rice and it will not cook properly.

2. In the meantime, heat the coconut cream, 1 pinch salt, mango pulp and the caster sugar on a medium heat to melt sugar and loosen the coconut cream, be careful not to boil it as it will split. In a separate bowl add a ladle of this warm coconut & mango cream to the rice flour and whisk into a slurry with no lumps. Then add this back to the rest of the coconut cream and continue to gently simmer until the coconut cream has thickened slightly to a sauce consistency, it should taste sweet and salty, add another pinch of salt if you like. When ready put around 100ml of the sauce aside for serving. Add the rest to the warm, cooked sticky rice, combine using a whisk and cling film the container. The remaining heat in the container from the hot rice will aid the rice in absorbing the sweet coconut sauce. Leave this closed for at least 10 minutes to ensure it has come together, it should be a thick, moldable consistency.

3. Lastly, peel the mangoes by removing the skin. Next take both ends off to reveal the stone, you should be able to see the location of the flat sides of the stone, the mango has a flat, oval shaped disc shaped stone in the middle of it, this is what you want to remove. Next, carefully run a small knife along the flat sides of the mango stone, moving the mango with one hand as you gently guide the knife to separate the flesh from the stone with the other. Once you have both halves, slice them into bite-sized chunks.

Serve by placing the sticky rice in the centre of the plate with the sliced mango placed over it. Finish by pouring half of the leftover coconut sauce over each mango and then sprinkle with the toasted coconut.