FINAP would like to raise awareness of a much-misunderstood ingredient: glutinous rice. It’s also often called ‘sticky rice’, but please don’t let the name confuse you – there is no gluten in glutinous rice – it refers only to the texture. It is also the main component of one of our unlikely favourite desserts – Mango Sticky Rice, a delicious sweet served on street corners all over Thailand, wrapped in a pandan leaf and soaked in coconut milk, yum!
As Islington is somewhat lacking in pandan trees and to add a twist on this dish, we raided our local Asian supermarket not just for it’s confusing glutinous ingredients, but also for lunchbox favourite, Vietnamese Rice Paper – which is a perfect naturally gluten free alternative to Chinese spring roll wrappers – to make a sweet version.
Makes 6 rolls
Ingredients
- 100g Thai sticky rice/glutinous rice
- 160ml can of coconut cream
- 2tbsp soft brown sugar
- 6 Vietnamese rice wrappers
- 1 small mango and pineapple pieces, sliced (or other exotic fruit of your choice)
- 1 piece of stem ginger, sliced into fine slivers
- A few mint leaves, shredded
Method:
- Cook the sticky rice to the ingredients on the packet. (If they are in Thai, place with 175ml water in a microwaveable bowl, cover and microwave for 10 minutes until all of the water is absorbed).
- When the rice is cooked, pour over half of the coconut cream and half of the sugar, and leave to cool.
- When cool, have all of your ingredients ready to assemble the rolls. Dip each wrap into warm water for 5 seconds. Allow all of the drips to stop, then place on a plate to fill and wrap.
- Add a layer of the sticky rice mixture in a row, top with fruit, mint and ginger and then wrap – first fold over the ends, then the bottom, then roll to finish. (See this guide if you aren’t sure)
- Warm the rest of the coconut cream and sugar together and drizzle over to serve. Optionally serve with a chocolate dipping sauce.
