Coconut Mango Rice Pudding
Creamy coconut rice pudding layered with ripe mango and a squeeze of lime. A fresh, not-too-sweet stovetop dessert that lets the fruit lead.
- Total
- 50 min
- Prep 10 · Cook 30 · Rest 10
- Serves
- 1
- Difficulty
- Easy
You'll practice: Absorption rice · Balancing with acid
- Sweet
- Asian
- Stovetop
Instructions
-
Put the rice pudding rice, 250 ml water, 400 ml coconut milk, 40 g sugar and a pinch of salt in a medium saucepan. Stir once and set over medium heat.
~3 min
Stirring once prevents clumping; rice releases surface starch that thickens the liquid into a creamy pudding.
Absorption rice Cook uncovered at a bare simmer, stirring often, until grains are tender and liquid is a loose porridge. Stop while looser than you want; it thickens as it cools.
-
Bring to a bare simmer, then lower the heat and cook uncovered, stirring often so the rice does not catch, until the grains are tender and the liquid has thickened to a loose porridge, about 25 minutes. If it tightens before the rice is soft, stir in 2 tbsp hot water and keep cooking.
~25 min
A bare simmer keeps the coconut milk from splitting and stops the rice scorching on the pan base.
Rice pudding thickens a lot as it cools, so pull it off the heat while it still looks a little looser than you want; the rest time finishes the set.
Absorption rice Cook uncovered at a bare simmer, stirring often, until grains are tender and liquid is a loose porridge. Stop while looser than you want; it thickens as it cools.
-
While step 2 cooks
While the rice simmers, peel the 2 mangoes and cut the flesh away from the stone into 1 cm cubes. Set half aside for folding in and half for topping.
~7 min
-
Take the pan off the heat. Zest the lime into the rice, then squeeze in the juice of half the lime. Fold in the half of the mango cubes set aside for the pudding.
~2 min
Lime zest and juice add acidity that balances the coconut's richness and keeps the dessert from tasting flat.
Balancing with acid Add lime zest and juice off the heat, tasting as you go. Acid should brighten the coconut without turning the pudding sour.
-
Let the pudding stand for 10 minutes to thicken and cool slightly. Spoon into bowls and top with the remaining mango cubes.
~10 min
Standing off the heat lets the rice absorb remaining liquid and starch set, giving a thicker, creamier texture.