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In this world of increasingly complex gastronomic contrivances, it is always pleasant to find something simple and delicious. A good example is Mango and Sticky Rice. I first had this dish at an LTH dinner at Elephant Thai. A handful of rice with a slice of Mango. The simplest dish imaginable, yet absolute ambrosia. At the time, I think Evil Ronnie and I made similar comments about how amazing it was that just two ingredients could combine to create something that was so much more than its individual components.

So what is the secret? I have Sticky rice (which I have never made before). How do I properly prepare this traditional Thai treat?

Does anybody else have any examples of similarily simple and synergistic ingredients?

I make this frequently when mangos are in season, and I happened to have made it two nights ago for a treat after dinner.
SO simple.

Rinse the rice till the water runs clear in the morning, then cover it with water to soak for 5 hours or more.

Then, steam the rice. I use a pasta pot with the insert. I wrap the rice in a kitchen towel. Steam it until it's your desired texture.

put a can of coconut milk into a sauce pan, and lightly, very lightly. simmer. Add in some brown sugar to taste. (I don't own palm sugar.) Reduce it by about 1/4th. Let it cool - it will thicken even more.

Put the rice in a bowl. Add a few spoonfuls of coconut milk to flavor the rice, and let it soak up. This step is only to flavor the rice a little. This is not the final dousing of coconut milk mixture. The rice will soak up the few spoons of coconut milk. Then, plate - rice, a saucing of coconut milk, and then your mango. You can web up recipes all day long. It's simple as pie.

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I must make this.

Do you use normal long-grain jasmine rice? Or are you using something specific for this dish?

...KP: you use sticky ("glutinous," in quotes because it does not actually have gluten) rice from a Thai grocery. If you have a rice cooker, it works fine to use the measures that relate specifically to glutinous/sticky rice. My basic Japanese machine has rice/water lines for this. Or follow the nstructions on the bag. No doubt Seebee's method probably works best of all. If you can't get to one of the Thai groceries in town, Koprean and Japanese strains of sticky rice work fine but they are not quite there. I have a kid who loves this stuff (loves it with durian instead of mango even more) and this item tends to be overpriced on otherwise insanely reasonable Thai menus around town, so I make it.

Now that's impressive.

Thanks for the info about the rice! Now that you mention it, this does sound like it'd be right up my kids' alley.

This is one of those things I always plan to do a picture thread on making it. It really is one of the easier / most delicious things ever. If you ever read the nutrition label of a can of coconut milk, you'll soon realize why. (Hate to rain on the parade.) Mango with sticky rice is really just a free form danish (with more fat and sugar.) Apparently, it's "good fat" though, I think.

I'm currently using a rice I bought in a Korean store labeled "Sweet Rice" which, I gathered from some random websurfing, is sticky rice or a variant thereof. The brand is "Asian Taste" and it reads "Longrain Sweet Rice." On the back it says "Product Of Thailand." When I make it, it turns out pretty much the same as the stuff I've had in restaurants.

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We cannot be friends if you do not know the difference between Mayo and Miracle Whip.

Thanks all, especially Seebee. I was worried about getting the consistency right (I just perfected making regular rice). I didn't think about wrapping it in a towel. I am going to make this a regular summertime treat.

This is one of the great combinations. Must try steaming the rice - I've never made it that way. I usually partially cook the rice and then finish cooking in coconut milk. Sweet glutinous rice; jasmine works in pinch too.
Talking of pinches, here's a quick 'cheater' version I've made to moderate success (as in it is not the preferred method, but works). Useful for small quantities or when you have some leftover coconut milk from other things.

Mix rinsed/washed rice + coconut milk + sugar in glass bowl, microwave till done
(I generally put in liquid till it is slightly higher that the rice in the bowl, stop and stir (and add more liquid if it is getting too dry)
A long time ago I saw a you tube video with some thai ladies doing this microwave method*

Some sesame seeds with the thick coconut fat (you can skim this and reserve from the top of the opened unshaken can) with the mango works well too.

*edited to add
May have been this one
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxmNsQ_T0oc