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Mango Sticky Rice Dessert
From Cooking with Nart
Author: Nart
Ingredients
SWEET STICKY RICE
- 1 cup sticky rice soaked overnight
- 1 cup coconut milk
- ⅝ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 pandan leaves
SALTY COCONUT SAUCE
- ¾ cup coconut milk
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
MANGOES
- 2 ripe mangoes
TOPPING CHOICES (OPTIONAL)
- toasted white sesame seeds
- fried split mung beans
Instructions
- Bring a pot of water to a hard boil. Put a steamer on top of the pot and steam the rice that has been soaked overnight in a cheesecloth in a steamer with a lid on for 30 minutes.
- While the sticky rice is cooking, make the coconut syrup for sweetening the rice by bringing 1 cup of coconut milk, ¼ teaspoon of salt, ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 3 pandan leaves to a gentle boil.
- Make the coconut sauce for drizzling over the sweet sticky rice by bringing ¾ cup of coconut milk and ¼ teaspoon of salt to a gentle boil. Then, add 1 tablespoon of corn starch, stir until thickened and remove from heat.
- Once the sticky rice is cooked, transfer it from the cheesecloth to a pot.
- Add the coconut syrup to the rice, mix it in with a spatula. Then, cover the pot with a lid and let the rice absorb the coconut syrup for 20-30 minutes. The sweet sticky rice is ready when the rice has absorbed all the liquid and the rice should look shiny.
- Prepare the mangoes by slicing them lengthways on both sides of the stones. Then score a lattice into the flesh without cutting through the skin and gently push the skin to make the cubes stand out. Alternatively, you can peel the mangoes and cut the flesh into bite-size pieces.
- To serve, arrange the mango and sweet sticky rice on a serving plate side by side. You might want to garnish with fresh pandan or mint leaves just to add a bit of green to the plate.
- Drizzle the salty coconut sauce over the sticky rice and top the sauce with toasted white sesame seeds or fried split mung beans, optional.
Notes
- Make sure you soak it overnight before making this recipe so that your sweet sticky rice turns out nice and soft.
- Bruise the pandan leaves before you use them so you can extract the most fragrance out of them.
- ⅝ cup of granulated sugar equals ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons.
- Mango sticky rice is best consumed within the day of making as that’s when the rice has the best texture. However, if you don’t finish it within one sitting, the rice and the sauce will keep for 1-2 days in the fridge. You can store them separately in airtight containers and reheat each in the microwave for 1.5-2 minutes before eating. Note that the rice may become drier after reheating.
Olive Oil
The best olive oil Amy and I have ever tasted was in a restaurant in Rome in spring of 2026. The owner told Amy it was this, which is not sold in the U.S.: Olio Extravergine di oliva Frezza Serie “Oro Fruttato”
Odore: Fruttato Erbaceo.
Sapore: Leggermente amaro e pungente
Densità: Intensamente corposo.
Colore: Giallo tendente al verde.
Caratteristiche produttive:
Terreno: Argilloso, esposizione sud, sud-ovest
Cultivar: FRANTOIO, MORAIOLO E LECCINO.
Estrazione: A freddo entro 24 ore dalla raccolta.
Stoccaggio: NON filtrato e decantato naturalmente in vasche sotterranee a temperatura costante di 5-10 c°
Destinazione d’Uso: Adatto a tutti i tipi di cucina, generalmente indicato per condire a crudo, esalta qualsiasi tipo di pietanza. Particolarmente indicato per il consumo di fasce di consumatori sensibili.
Conservazione: Evitare esposizione diretta e prolungata ai raggi del sole – Evitare la conservazione a temperature inferiori ai 5° e superiori a 30 C°
Scadenza: Mesi 18 dalla data di confezionamento.
— https://www.oliofrezza.it/product/oro-fruttato
IN THE U.S.
The best oliv oil we have found was in Giuseppe’s Cucina Rustica — https://giuseppesrestaurant.com in San Luis Obispo.
They served it with slices of bread. To the olive oil, they had added grated parmesan, garlic, and a little balsamic vinegar (undetectable amount).
It was from Italy, called (from the label) Jewel of Tuscany: Super Tuscan blend made with superior quality extra virgin olive oil. Packed in the U.S. Ingredients: Extra virgin olive oil, vegetable oil. Distributed by Sogno Toscano Dream Inc., Tempe, AZ 85281. 1 Gal. .785 L., Item # 1000.19. Food service only. This product is not for Retail Sale.
They charged us $61.00 plus tax.
It is for $58.00 + tax and shipping here:
“Many chefs strongly recommend Jewel of Tuscany for sautéing, dressing, and for any preparation that requires a medium body high density oil with all the characteristics of an Extra Virgin Olive Oil including aroma, taste and light pepper in the aftertaste.”
Also here: https://www.gfifoods.com/5606015-sogno-toscano-extra-virgin-olive-oil-5606015
“Jewel of Tuscany blend has a very intense fruit bouquet with hints of baby artichokes and aromatic herbs. The aftertaste is characterized by a hint of spice. Jewel of Tuscany is truly a supreme quality Super tuscan blend made with the finest extra virgin olive oil. Throughout the year, we scour each unique region to select the best Italian cooking ingredients and cosmetics. This is valuable addition to what we cultivate at our estate in Bolgheri, Tuscany. All of our products are GMO-free and our suppliers are certified to distribute by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) regulations.”
Pasta alle Vongole (Clam Pasta)
Adapted from Salt Fat Acid Heat, p. 120, 300.
1 T salt
3 T olive oil
1 med yellow onion, finely diced, ends saved
3 sprigs parsley + ¼ c finely chopped leaves
2 lbs littlenecks, scrubbed well
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t red pepper flakes
1 lb linguine or spaghetti
2 lbs Manila clams
juice of 1 small lemon
3 T butter
3 T olive oil + more for frying
3/4 oz Parmesan, finely grated (<1/4 c)
- Bring a pot of generously salted water (3/4 T in 3 quarts) to boil for the pasta.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium heat, add 1 T oil and the two ends (discards) of the onion, 3 sprigs parsely, and the littlenecks. Add ½ c water. Turn up heat to high, cover the pan, and let clams steam for 3-4 minutes until they open. Remove each one as it opens. Tap any stubborn clams and discard any that don’t open after 6 min. Pluck the clams from their shells and chop. Strain the cooking liquid through a cheescloth and set aside.
- Rinse the pan and set it over medium heat. Add 1 T oil to coat the bottom, then the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Cook until tender, stirring occasionally (about 12 min). Don’t let the onion burn. Add a splash of water if needed.
- Cook the pasta until 2 minutes short of al dente. Don’t drain it yet.
- Add the garlic and pepper flakes to the onion and sizzle gently. Before the garlic has a chance to brown, add the Manila clams and the clam cooking liquid. Cover the pan and turn the heat to high. As soon as the clams open, add the chopped littlenecks. Cook 2 minutes then add the lemon juice.
- Drain the pasta (saving a cup of the pasta water) and add it to the clams. Cook for 2 minutes until al dente.
- Add the butter, 1 T olive oil, and Parmesan, stir. Adjust the salt and liquid with pasta water (salty, but thickening) or regular water. If too salty, add more lemon juice or olive oil.
- Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve with crusty bread for soaking up the sauce (or olive oil).
Dad’s Favorite Gooey Brownies
Modified slightly from Tessa Arias’s recipe at Handle the Heat, here: https://handletheheat.com/chewy-brownies/
Ingredients
- 5 T (71 g) butter
- 1 1/4 c (249 g) brown sugar
- 2 large eggs plus 1 yolk, cold
- 1 t vanilla
- 1/3 c (74 g) oil
- 3/4 c (75 g) cocoa powder
- 1/2 c (63 g) flour
- 1 T cornstarch [optional]
- 1/2 t salt
- 3/4 c chopped walnuts toasted in oven for 7 minutes
- turbinado sugar to sprinkle on top (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F. Grease an 8×8 inch square metal pan or 9-inch metal cake pan. (Glass pan not recommended, but if using, add 5-10 minutes to bake time.)
- In a microwave-safe bowl, add the butter and sugar. Microwave for about 1 minute, or until the butter is melted. Whisk in the eggs and egg yolk, whisking vigorously for 1 minute. Whisk in the vanilla, then stir in the oil and cocoa powder and salt.
- With a rubber spatula, stir in the flour and cornstarch (if using), then the walnuts.
- Spread the brownie batter into the pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the brownies are set and a cake tester inserted into the center has moist crumbs attached. Do not overcook. Let cool completely to solidify before cutting and serving.
- Brownies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If the cornstarch is used, brownies will be gooey when served warm, chewy when served at room temperature, and fudgy when served chilled. If cornstarch is not used, brownies will be less chooey, more gooey.
Heather’s Oatmeal Date Smash Cookies
160g King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
112g old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon table salt
100g oil
120-140g brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg
1 cup misc. mix-ins
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and homogeneous. Add the egg and whisk until fully combined and creamy. Add the dry ingredients and use a flexible spatula to stir until almost no flour is visible. Add the dates and stir until completely combined.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment. Scoop the dough into eight 2″ balls and place on the prepared baking sheet. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 2 days.
- Preheat the oven to 370°F with a rack in the upper third. Shape the dough mounds into neater balls by rolling between the palms of your hands. Return to the baking sheet, spacing them evenly.
- Bake the cookies for 8 minutes, until puffed, with golden-brown exteriors. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and immediately use a flat spatula to press each cookie flat, eliminating any puffing.
- Return the cookies to the oven, turn the oven off, and leave inside for 4 to 5 minutes, until the cookies are slightly darker and have puffed back up.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven, press the cookies flat again, then sprinkle with flaky salt. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before serving.
- Store oatmeal-date cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days; freeze for longer storage.
some favorite recipe links
Huevos Rancheros
Two soft corn tortillas with a sunny-side up egg on top, topped with salsa, queso fresco, chopped cilantro, and avocado slices.
Based on the Huevos Rancheros Verdes recipe here: https://www.seriouseats.com/huevos-rancheros-recipe
INGREDIENTS
4 medium tomatillos, cut in half
1 chile poblano
1 small white onion, sliced (about 3/4 cup)
2 T oil
4 medium cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 t ground cumin
1/2 c roughly chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish
salt and pepper
15-ounce can (or 2 c fresh boiled) pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed
1 bay leaf
corn tortillas
eggs
jack or cheddar cheese
queso fresco
avocado, sliced
quartered limes
hot sauce
INSTRUCTIONS
- In a toaster oven, place tomatillos cut side down and chili poblano on a baking sheet. Broil until the chili is blackened on one side (about 10 min) then flip and broil until blackened on the other (ca 6 min). Transfer all to a medium boil and cover tightly with plastic wrap or aluminum foil to let steam for 5 min. Then peel the chili.
- Heat 1 T oil to a medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and garlic and stir occasionally about 4 min until softened but not browned. Add cumin and stir about 30 sec until fragrant. Transfer 1/2 of this to the vegetable bowl, add the cilantro and 1 T of juice from a lime, rough blend with hand blender, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
- Add the beans to the saucepan along with a bay leaf and 1/2 c water, simmer for 10 min. Remove the bay leaf, then hand blend and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm.
- To freshen up corn tortillas, dip in or brush/spray with water and then drop in a hot skillet for a few seconds to slightly brown, or separate tortillas then rap the stack in a damp (wetted then squeezed) multilayered cotton cloth and microwave on high for 30-60 seconds. Keep folded in a towel so they stay soft. Or, watch this video for more options: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqHq_V4JcnY
- Add 1 or 2 (stacked) tortillas to a plate, sprinkle with jack or cheddar cheese and microwave until the cheese melts, then top with a fried egg (sunny side up). At the table:
– Pour on some of the warmed salsa (amount depending on heat level and tolerance).
– Top with queso fresco, avocado slices, and a dash of hot sauce.
– Put refried beans and a lime wedge on the side.
Baked Fish with Garlic Cream Sauce
Four 2 inch thick 6 oz fish fillets
4 T salted butter
1/4 cup cream
2 cloves minced garlic
1 T Dijon mustard
1.5 T lemon or lime juice
Salt & pepper
1.5 T shallots or green onions
Fresh parsley
Preheat oven to 390°F. Place fish in a baking dish. Sprinkle both sides lightly with salt and pepper. Place butter, cream, garlic, mustard, and lemon/lime juice together and microwave in two 30-second bursts, stirring between. Sprinkle fish with shallots or scallions, then pour over sauce. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until fish is just cooked. Spoon over sauce, and garnish with parsley.
Adapted from https://www.recipetineats.com/baked-fish-with-lemon-cream-sauce/
Huevos Rancheros
From Smitten Kitchen
Creamy (Low Lactose) Rice Pudding
- 1.5 c water
- 3/4 c uncooked white rice (or skip step one and use 1 1/4 c cooked rice)
- 3 c cream mixture (2 c water + 1 c cream)
- 1/3 c sugar
- 1/4 t salt
- 1 beaten egg
- 2/3 c raisins or 1/2 c chopped craisins
- 1 T butter
- 1 t vanilla
- 1/4 t cinnamon
- Cook the rice — Combine the 1.5 c water and rice in a pan, bring to boil, turn stove all the way down and cook covered until water is absorved.
- Stir 1 1/2 c of the cream mixture along with the sugar and salt into the rice and cook 10-15 min over medium heat, stirring often, until thick and creamy.
- Stir in 1/2 c of the cream mixture and remaining ingredients and cook 2 min more, stirring constantly.
- Add some or all of the remaining 1 c of the cream mixture until the pudding is the desired consistency.
- Sprinkle cinnamon on top before serving.
Chili Garlic Noodles
This makes about three servings. Scale ingredients up for more.
6 ounces rice noodles
1 head broccoli, cut in 1/2-1 inch pieces, with the stems peeled, or another veggie of choice
9 raw shrimp, cut in 1 inch pieces, veins and shells discarded, or another protein of choice
1/2 c frozen corn, or another veggie of choice
4-5 T vegetable oil
3 green onions, diced and divided
1 jalapeno, diced with seeds and membrane discarded
4-7 gloves garlic, minced
1 T fresh grated ginger
3 T sesame seeds
2-3 T low sodium soy sauce, to taste
1 T rice vinegar
1 T brown sugar
1-2 T chili oil, to taste
1/2 T sesame oil
Put an 8 quart pot, almost full of water, on to boil. Put the vegetable oil in a large sauté pan and heat over medium-high heat. When the oil just starts to shimmer, add the white and light green parts of the onions (reserve the deep green parts for later) and the jalapeno and fry until the edges of the onion start to crisp and turn brown. Add the garlic and fry a minute more, then add the ginger and sesame seeds. Stir and let fry for one more minute, then remove from heat. Add the sesame oil, chili oil, soy sauce, vinegar and brown sugar. Stir to combine.
When the water boils, add the shrimp, then the broccoli and corn one minute later, and then when it returns to a boil, add the rice noodles. When all the food in the boiling water is cooked (follow cooking directions for the noodles), drain it well and add to the sauté pan. Stir to combine with he the chili garlic mixture, sprinkle with the reserved green onions, and serve immediately.
Kraut Burgers
Brown ground meat (I like turkey.) and onions. Salt and pepper to taste. Add shredded cabbage and carrots. Cook until vegetables are partially cooked and all the liquid is gone. Wrap about 1/3 cup filling in bread dough, place on greased cookie sheet, and bake at 350 degrees F until done.
Tilliliha
In a 500° F oven, braise 3- 5 pounds boney lamb or veal (neck bones, ribs, shin) meat for 15 minutes. Place meat in a deep pan and cover with water. Add onion, 2 T dry dill weed, and black pepper. Simmer until meat is falling off the bone.
Cool over a few hours and remove fat. Separate meat from bones. Strain broth. Add meat to broth reserving about a cup of liquid. Bring broth to a boil. Mix 1/2 c sugar, 1/2 c vinegar, salt to taste, and additional dill weed into reserved liquid. Stir reserved liquid into broth.
Serve over diced, boiled potatoes. It’s best after having been cooled overnight and reheated.
Quick Chocolate Cake
1 1/2 c flour
1 c sugar
3T cocoa
1 t soda
1/2 t salt
1 T vinegar
6 T oil
1 t vanilla
1 c cold water
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Sift dry ingredients together into an 8 x 8 glass pan. Make three wells and pour one of the first three wet ingredients into each of them. Pour water all over the whole thing and mix well with a fork, paying attention to the corners, until blended. Bake fro 25-30 minutes.
Quick After-battle Triple Chocolate cake
Thanks to Patricia Wrede for my favorite chocolate cake recipe!
¾ c butter
¾ c brown sugar
¾ c white sugar
3 eggs
1 T vanilla
3 T blackstrap molasses
1 c chocolate milk
½ c unsweetened cocoa
1 ½ c flour
½ t salt
1 ½ t baking soda
¾ c mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Spray a 13″ by 9″ pan. In a large bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Add brown sugar and white sugar and mix thoroughly. Add eggs, vanilla and molasses, beating well after each addition. In a different bowl, stir flour, cocoa, salt, and soda together. Beat into butter mixture, alternating with milk. Beat for 1 – 2 minutes, then add choc. chips. Pour batter into pan, bake 35 – 45 min.
Chocolate Mousse
Thanks to Hershey’s for publishing this on a cocoa container when I was a kid 🙂
1 t unflavored gelatin
1 T cold water
2 T boiling water
1⁄2 c sugar
1⁄4 c cocoa
1 c heavy cream (very cold)
1 t vanilla extract
Sprinkle gelatin over cold water in small bowl; let stand 1 minute to soften. Add boiling water; stir until dissolved clear. Cool slightly. Stir together sugar and cocoa, add cream and vanilla. Beat on medium speed until stiff. Add gelatin and beat until blended. Spoon into serving dishes. Refrigerate about 30 minutes before serving. Makes four 1/2 c servings.
Wedding Reception Fruit Cup
Freeze crushed pineapple, mashed banana and lemon juice in a a sugar syrup (1 part sugar to 2 parts boiling water).
Break up and put into serving dishes. Pour ginger ale over fruit and serve with a cherry.
Banana Cookies
2 beat-up, brown bananas
1 c butter
2 c sugar
4 egg yolks OR 2 eggs
1 t vanilla
1 t lemon extract
1 t baking soda
3 c flour
1 c chocolate chips, mini or regular
1 c diced walnuts
Cream butter and sugar. Mix in eggs, bananas, and extracts. Combine flour and baking soda and add all at once. Mix well and add chocolate ships and walnuts. Bake on a greased cookie sheet at 375 degrees F for 6-8 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.