Coconut Mango Sticky Rice Milkshake

Name: Coconut Mango Sticky Rice Milkshake
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 32 min
Total time: 57 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Thai
Ingredients: ⅓ cup (65 g) Thai glutinous (sticky) rice, uncooked, rinsed until the water runs mostly clear; 1 cup (240 ml) cool water, for soaking, plus more for rinsing and steaming; ⅓ cup (80 ml) full-fat canned coconut milk, well shaken; 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar; ⅛ tsp (¾ g) fine sea salt; 2 cups (300 g) ripe mango chunks, frozen, ½- to 1-inch pieces; 1½ cups (200 g) vanilla ice cream, slightly softened, about 5 minutes out of the freezer; ¾ cup (180 ml) full-fat canned coconut milk, well shaken, cold; ½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, cold; 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lime juice, freshly squeezed; 1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar, only if your mango is not very sweet (optional); 2 tbsp (10 g) unsweetened coconut flakes; 1 tsp (3 g) white sesame seeds, toasted if possible (optional); ¼ cup (40 g) ripe fresh mango, peeled, cut into ¼-inch dice

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

All the flavors of Thai mango sticky rice in a glass: ripe mango, rich coconut milk and vanilla ice cream blended with chewy, coconut-soaked sticky rice, then topped with toasted coconut and sesame.

Prep: 25 min
Cook: 32 min
Wait: 1 hr 15 min
Total: 2 hr 12 min
Makes: 2 milkshakes (about 14 oz / 400 ml each)

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Ingredients

2 servings

For the sticky rice
⅓ cup (65 g) Thai glutinous (sticky) rice, uncooked, rinsed until the water runs mostly clear
1 cup (240 ml) cool water, for soaking, plus more for rinsing and steaming
⅓ cup (80 ml) full-fat canned coconut milk, well shaken
2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
⅛ tsp (0.8 g) fine sea salt
For the milkshake
2 cups (300 g) ripe mango chunks, frozen, ½- to 1-inch pieces
1½ cups (200 g) vanilla ice cream, slightly softened, about 5 minutes out of the freezer
¾ cup (180 ml) full-fat canned coconut milk, well shaken, cold
½ cup (120 ml) whole milk, cold
1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 tbsp (12 g) granulated sugar, only if your mango is not very sweet (optional)
To finish
2 tbsp (10 g) unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tsp (3 g) white sesame seeds, toasted if possible (optional)
¼ cup (40 g) ripe fresh mango, peeled, cut into ¼-inch dice

Equipment (9)

Fine-mesh sieve
Medium bowl for soaking
Steamer basket or metal colander that fits over a pot, with a lid
Parchment paper or clean thin kitchen towel to line the steamer
Small saucepan (1-quart / 1 L)
Small skillet for toasting
High-speed or standard blender (at least 5-cup / 1.2 L capacity)
2 tall glasses (14–16 oz / 400–470 ml)
Wide straws or long spoons

Steps

Before you start

Start the rice at least 2 hours before you want to drink: it needs a 1-hour soak, 25 minutes of steaming and a 15-minute rest.
Use frozen ripe mango chunks (or freeze fresh ripe mango on a tray for 3 hours) so the shake is thick and cold without watering it down.
Shake the can of coconut milk hard before opening so the cream and liquid are evenly mixed.
Put two tall glasses in the freezer when you start the rice steaming.

1
Soak the rice
- Rinse the sticky rice in a fine-mesh sieve under cold running water, swishing with your hand, for about 1 minute until the water runs mostly clear.
- Transfer to a medium bowl, add the 1 cup (240 ml) cool water and soak for 1 hour.
- Put two tall glasses in the freezer.
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Ready when: Grains look opaque white and chalky, and a grain breaks easily when pressed between your fingers
Tip: Do not skip the soak; unsoaked sticky rice stays hard in the center.
2
Steam the rice
- Bring about 2 inches (5 cm) of water to a steady simmer in a pot that fits your steamer.
- Line the steamer basket with parchment (poke a few holes in it) or a damp thin towel.
- Drain the rice well, spread it in an even layer about ¾ inch (2 cm) thick, cover and steam for 25 minutes.
- Flip the rice over carefully at the 15-minute mark with a spatula.
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Ready when: Grains are translucent, shiny and chewy-soft all the way through with no hard white center
Tip: Keep the water level below the basket and top up with boiling water if it runs low.
3
Make coconut sauce
- While the rice steams, combine the ⅓ cup (80 ml) coconut milk, 2 tbsp sugar and the salt in a small saucepan.
- Warm over medium-low heat, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes until the sugar dissolves and small bubbles form at the edge.
- Remove from the heat.
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Ready when: Sugar is fully dissolved and the sauce is steaming but not boiling
Tip: Don't boil the sauce; high heat can make coconut milk separate and look grainy.
4
Soak rice in sauce
- Transfer the hot steamed rice to a heatproof bowl.
- Pour the warm coconut sauce over it and fold gently with a spatula until every grain is coated.
- Cover and let sit for 15 minutes.
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Ready when: Sauce is almost fully absorbed and the rice is glossy, sticky and just warm
Tip: Rice should be no hotter than lukewarm when blended, or it will melt the ice cream.
5
Toast the coconut
- Toast the coconut flakes in a small dry skillet over medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
- Tip them onto a plate right away to stop the cooking.
- Toss in the sesame seeds if they are not already toasted, and toast them for the last 30 seconds.
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Ready when: Flakes are light golden at the edges and smell nutty
Tip: Coconut goes from golden to burnt in seconds; never walk away.
6
Portion the rice
- Spoon 2 tbsp of the coconut-soaked rice into each of the chilled glasses' garnish pile (set aside on a small plate, about 4 tbsp total).
- Keep the remaining rice (about ¾ cup / 110 g) for blending.
- Dice the fresh mango into ¼-inch pieces.
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Ready when: About 4 tbsp rice set aside for topping, the rest ready to blend
7
Blend the milkshake
- Add the whole milk, 180 ml coconut milk, lime juice and optional sugar to the blender first, then the vanilla ice cream, frozen mango and the blending portion of rice.
- Blend on low for 15 seconds, then high for 30 to 45 seconds, scraping down once, until thick and smooth with only tiny flecks of rice.
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Ready when: Shake is thick enough to mound slowly off a spoon, with no mango chunks left
Tip: Taste before pouring; add the optional sugar or a squeeze more lime and pulse 5 seconds. If too thick, add 2 tbsp milk.
8
Assemble and serve
- Spoon the reserved sticky rice into the bottom of the chilled glasses, then pour in the milkshake.
- Top with diced fresh mango, toasted coconut and sesame.
- Serve right away with wide straws and long spoons.
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Ready when: Shake is cold and thick with a layer of rice at the bottom and a colorful topping
Tip: Serve immediately; the rice firms up and the shake melts as it sits.

Good to know

Tips

Ripe mango makes or breaks this; look for fragrant, slightly soft Ataulfo (honey) or Nam Dok Mai mangoes for the sweetest, least fibrous shake.
The rice should be sticky and soft: blending it too long makes the shake gluey, so stop as soon as the flecks are small.
You will have about ½ cup (140 ml) coconut milk left in the can; refrigerate and use within 4 days in coffee, smoothies or oatmeal.
Chill the glasses and the milks beforehand for the thickest, slowest-melting shake.

Make ahead

"Steam and sauce the rice up to 1 day ahead; refrigerate in an airtight container, then microwave in 10-second bursts with 1 tbsp water until soft and just warm before blending. Toast the coconut and sesame up to 3 days ahead and store airtight at room temperature."

Storage & reheating

Best served immediately. Leftover shake keeps in the freezer in a covered container for up to 1 month; let it sit 10 minutes and re-blend with a splash of milk. Leftover sauced rice keeps in the fridge up to 2 days (rice hardens when cold, so microwave with a spoonful of water). Toasted toppings keep 3 days at room temperature.

Substitutions

Thai glutinous (sticky) rice → Cooked short-grain sushi rice (¾ cup / 110 g). Less chewy and less sticky, but still works; skip the soaking and steaming and stir into the warm coconut sauce.
vanilla ice cream → Coconut or dairy-free vanilla ice cream. Makes the shake fully dairy-free when paired with oat or almond milk.
whole milk → Oat milk or additional coconut milk. Oat milk keeps it lighter; extra coconut milk makes it richer.
ripe mango chunks → Frozen mango pulp or fresh mango plus 1 cup ice. Use about 1 cup (250 g) sweetened pulp and skip the added sugar; fresh mango plus ice gives a slightly thinner shake.