Black Rice Pudding with Coconut & Mango

I modelled this black rice pudding parfait after a stunning dessert Bryan and I had in Bali. Chilled black rice pudding was layered with puréed mango and topped with coconut ice cream! In another restaurant, we had warm black rice pudding in a bowl with a coconut drizzle marbled beautifully throughout. I couldn’t decide which version I wanted to share with you so I’m showing you how to make both. PLUS, I’ve tossed in a third option for serving this black rice pudding which is similar to a Thai inspired mango sticky rice!

With so many options, I know you are going to love being creative with this one.

A soft and ever so slightly chewy texture
Delicate sweet and nutty flavour
Deliciously creamy
And perfect warm or cold!

Ingredients

If you’re curious about black rice and how it is cultivated and enjoyed you can take a look at this article on black rice as an Indonesian superfood.

Although I grew up eating Portuguese sweet rice, and had enjoyed Thai inspired mango sticky rice with white rice, I had never had black sticky rice until I travelled to Bali. I love the intense colour of this rice and enjoy the chewier texture and nutty flavour.

For this rice to create a pudding-like texture you need to look for “sticky rice” or “glutinous” rice. I have found this rice labeled “black glutinous rice” in my local grocery store but you may also find it called “Indonesian black rice” or “purple rice”.

In addition to the black glutinous rice, this recipe is made with:

• Coconut milk
• Coconut sugar (or palm sugar if you have it)
• A touch of salt for that sweet and salty balance
• And ripe mangoes (I use ataulfo)

Many traditional Thai recipes add a small amount of white sticky rice to the black rice in order to soften the texture and increase the starch for that “sticky” quality. Feel free to add a few tablespoons of white sticky rice if you desire. It seems to me like the Indonesian black rice pudding recipes don’t usually include any white rice and I haven’t found that I need it.

Method

I love rice pudding as an alternative to more North American desserts but sometimes recipes can call for long soaking times and I’m usually not well prepared enough to accommodate that prep time! I was pleased to read that my store-bought package of black sticky rice didn’t suggest any soaking and simply required a 40-45 minute cooking time for the rice to soften and fully cook.

From traditional Thai black sticky rice recipes I have learned that you can soak the rice for 6-24 hours to cut down on the cooking time but this is not a step that is mandatory (good news for all the last minute cooks out there, like me!)

Follow the instructions on your package of rice as they may differ slightly from mine but I:

1. Bring the rice and water to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and simmer for 40-45 minutes until the rice is tender.
   • It should be soft and sticky but keep in mind that it will retain a bit of firmness compared to white sticky rice.
2. Stir coconut milk, coconut sugar, and a pinch of salt into the rice and cook for an additional 5 minutes until the liquid has been absorbed. Remove from the heat.
3. Optionally, you can make a coconut drizzle by thickening coconut milk with a touch of cornstarch.
   • If you are making the parfait version of this recipe you can skip this drizzle but it is a nice addition to the two other preparations offered here.

Serving Black Rice Pudding

I love the flexibility of this recipe so much that I have decided to give you three beautiful options for serving your black rice pudding!

To make the parfait:

1. Purée one and a half ataulfo mangoes and chop the remainder into small cubes for a garnish.
2. Add some chilled sticky rice to the bottom of a pretty glass or jar.
3. Then add a layer of puréed mango.
4. Follow with another layer of rice.
5. Finish with a layer of mango purée.
6. And garnish with cubed mango, strawberry if desired, and a mint leaf!

The bowl with a coconut drizzle design:

1. Add warm or chilled black sticky rice to a bowl.
2. Using a squeeze bottle or piping bag, pipe concentric circles of the coconut drizzle on top of the rice.
3. Drag a toothpick through the drizzle toward the centre point at even intervals to create the design.
4. Garnish the centre point with mango and a mint leaf if desired.

A more traditional mango sticky rice presentation:

1. Scoop warm or chilled black sticky rice along one half of a shallow bowl or plate.
2. Thinly slice half an ataulfo mango and lay it next to the rice.
3. Garnish with coconut drizzle over the sticky rice.

Cost For This Black Rice Pudding Recipe

This black rice pudding serves 4 and costs me under $6.50 Canadian with the optional coconut drizzle and two ataulfo mangoes. My cost will vary depending on the season and I would opt to use frozen mango to keep my cost down in the winter months when fresh mangoes are not abundant in Canada!

This black rice pudding is absolutely delicious even without the mango which makes up at least half of my cost for this recipe. If you choose the “decorative bowl” serving suggestion for this black rice pudding you could omit the mango and bring your cost down by at least half. (Just the sticky rice pudding costs me about $2.50).

I hope you love this recipe as much as I do and it transports you to the beach and sunshine! Let me know in the comments which serving suggestion you love!

Make sure to try my Vegan Portuguese Sweet Rice (arroz doce) as well. Add any leftover mango to my Mango Yogurt Overnight Oats or a Vegan Mango Lassi!

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