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:
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- Purée one and a half ataulfo mangoes and chop the remainder into small cubes for a garnish.
- Add some chilled sticky rice to the bottom of a pretty glass or jar.
- Then add a layer of puréed mango.
- Follow with another layer of rice.
- Finish with a layer of mango purée.
- And garnish with cubed mango, strawberry if desired, and a mint leaf!
The bowl with a coconut drizzle design:
- Add warm or chilled black sticky rice to a bowl.
- Using a squeeze bottle or piping bag, pipe concentric circles of the coconut drizzle on top of the rice.
- Drag a toothpick through the drizzle toward the centre point at even intervals to create the design.
- Garnish the centre point with mango and a mint leaf if desired.
A more traditional mango sticky rice presentation:
- Scoop warm or chilled black sticky rice along one half of a shallow bowl or plate.
- Thinly slice half an ataulfo mango and lay it next to the rice.
- 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!
Print
Black Rice Pudding with Coconut & Mango
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: serves 4
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Stunning black rice pudding with coconut and mango is a delicious & simple summer dessert! Serve it chilled as a parfait or have it warm!
Ingredients
- 1 cup black glutinous rice (or black “sticky” rice)*
- 1 ¾ cup water (or as much as your package instructs)
- 1 cup full fat coconut milk
- ¼ cup coconut sugar (or palm sugar)
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 ataulfo mangoes, ripe (the skin should be a little wrinkly)*
- Mint leaves to garnish*
- Chopped strawberries, optional*
Coconut Drizzle (optional)
- ½ cup full fat coconut milk
- 1 tsp cornstarch (dissolved in 1-2 teaspoon additional coconut milk)
- Pinch of salt (or sugar if you prefer more sweetness)
*Ingredients you need that are not part of our pantry and freezer tips.
Instructions
- Cook your rice according to the package. I rinsed my rice and brought it to a boil with 1 ¾ cup water, reduced to a simmer and simmered with the lid on for 40-45 minutes. *Many traditional recipes suggest soaking the rice in cold water for 6-24 hours beforehand to cut down on the cooking time.
- Once the rice is cooked (it should be very soft but it will retain a bit of firmness compared to white sticky rice), stir in the coconut milk, sugar, and salt. Cook for an additional 5 minutes until the milk has been absorbed and remove from the heat.
- To make the optional coconut drizzle, heat ½ cup coconut milk in a small pot over medium low heat. Dissolve the cornstarch in a bit more coconut milk and, whisking vigorously, slowly whisk it into the warm milk. Add the pinch of salt and continue whisking until the drizzle has thickened. Ensure that the heat is high enough that the drizzle comes to a boil which will activate the starch and allow it to thicken. Once the milk boils you can lower the heat a bit and after a couple of minutes the drizzle will have thickened and can be removed from the heat.
- Serve warm or chilled black sticky rice with sliced mango on the side and coconut drizzle overtop the rice.
- Alternatively, to make parfaits, allow the rice to cool completely. Blend one and a half of your mangoes into a purée and dice the remaining mango to garnish the top. (If your mangoes are smaller you may need to purée both mangoes and use just a bit of one to garnish). Add a layer of rice to a glass or jar, then mango purée, then rice, and finish with purée. Garnish the top with diced mango, chopped strawberry if desired and a mint leaf.
- To make the decorative bowl of pudding, add the pudding to the bowl and use a squeeze bottle or piping bag to pipe the coconut drizzle in concentric circles. Then use a toothpick to draw lines through all of the circles toward the centre point. Garnish the centre point with chopped mango.
- Leftover black rice pudding will keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Notes
Approximate Cost: $6.38 Canadian with the optional drizzle ($1.60 per serving). The mangoes make up the majority of the cost for me and will fluctuate depending on the time of year. In the winter months I would use frozen and defrosted mango for a thriftier option but this recipe is delicious with fresh mangoes in the summertime! My cost for just the black rice pudding is about $2.50 so you could skip the mango and just enjoy the coconut sticky rice!
Many traditional recipes call for adding a small amount of white sticky rice to the black rice in order to increase the starchiness and soften the mouthfeel a bit. I have found that I enjoy it without the addition of the white rice but feel free to add ¼ cup or so of white sticky rice if desired.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stove-top
- Cuisine: Asian Inspired
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