Coconut Sticky Rice With Mango / Kao Niaw Mamoung
Coconut Sticky Rice with Mango (Kao Niaw Mamoung) is a beloved Thai dessert that pairs fragrant, coconut-infused sticky rice with sweet, ripe mango. This recipe walks you through the traditional method of soaking, steaming, and infusing the rice with coconut milk for the perfect balance of flavor and texture. Optional garnishes like toasted sesame seeds, coconut flakes, and edible flowers add an elegant touch. Plus, for a fun variation, you can naturally dye the rice blue using butterfly pea flowers. Enjoy this classic Thai treat as a refreshing and satisfying dessert!
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Coconut Sticky Rice with Mango / Kao Niaw Mamoung
Ingredients
Sticky Rice
- 1½ cups sticky rice soaked in room-temperature water for at least 5–6 hours or overnight
Coconut Sauce
- 1 can unsweetened coconut milk (13.5-ounce)
- ¼ cup dried pandan leaves optional
- ½ cup palm sugar
- pinch of salt
To Serve
- 1-2 sweet, ripe mangoes sliced
Optional Garnish
- Toasted wild sesame seeds
- Toasted coconut flakes
- Edible flowers
Instructions
Soak & Steam the Sticky Rice
- Drain the soaked sticky rice and discard the soaking liquid.
- Prepare a steamer or double boiler with a steamer insert.
- Bring the steamer to a boil and steam the sticky rice in a basket lined with cheesecloth for about 10 minutes.
- Flip the rice and continue steaming for another 10 minutes, or until the rice is al dente. Transfer to a mixing bowl.
Prepare the Coconut Sauce
- While the rice is steaming, heat a small saucepan over low heat.
- Add coconut milk, dried pandan leaves (if using), palm sugar, and salt. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Soak the Rice in Coconut Sauce
- Pour the warm coconut milk mixture over the steamed sticky rice and mix well.
- Cover with plastic wrap directly on top of the rice and let sit for about 30 minutes to absorb the coconut milk.
Prepare the Butterfly Pea Flower Rice (Optional)
- Hydrate Thaimee butterfly pea flowers in hot boiled water for 5 minutes until a deep blue color is released.
- Strain and soak the sticky rice in the blue liquid for at least 2 hours, or until the rice changes color.
- Drain and discard the soaking liquid, then steam as directed above.
Serve & Garnish
- Slice the ripe mangoes and serve alongside the coconut-infused sticky rice.
- Drizzle with extra coconut sauce and garnish with toasted sesame seeds, toasted coconut flakes, or edible flowers if desired.
Video
Notes
Pro Tips:
- For the best texture, avoid over-soaking the rice in coconut milk—it should be fragrant and sticky, not mushy.
- Dried pandan leaves add a floral aroma, but you can omit them if unavailable.
- Butterfly pea flowers give the rice a vibrant blue color for a fun variation!
- Swap the white glutinous rice with Black sticky rice adds fiber, antioxidants, and a rich nutty taste.
- If you still want to keep the regular the white glutinous rice, you can add extra chia, poppy seeds or wild sesame seeds are great for texture and an added nutrient boost.
- If you still want to keep the regular the white glutinous rice, infuse Butterfly pea flower gives your coconut milk a beautiful natural blue — a fun twist when paired with white sticky rice.
