A Deep, Dark and Mysterious Dessert
Thai Black Sticky Rice Pudding
Our family likes to entertain, and one of the parties we throw is a Lunar New Year Party. We decided to start doing it a few years ago because in Oregon, January and February are pretty gloomy and wet, and everyone’s looking for a pick-me-up after the holidays.
Charles, Mom and I jointly cook, drawing up the menu together but being careful to divide the dishes among us to showcase each of our culinary talents. One year, my mother, Pranee, was debating whether or not to make Thai Black Sticky Rice Pudding. She thought it might be too ordinary. But what’s ordinary to Mom might be pretty exotic to others, we reminded her. We decided to go for it and wait until our guests had consumed the dessert before we told them what it was.
At the party, they were dying to know because they were entranced by its deep, dark color, and its appearance of being soft like a pudding but having a crunch to it. They all asked what the white topping was — we didn’t tell them it was white coconut milk, but we were instructing them to gently stir the topping into the dessert.
Well, they loved it. And Mom finally agreed to share her secret for….
Is it chocolate pudding? Is it tapioca? No, it's Thai Black Sticky Rice Pudding!
Thai Black Sticky Rice Pudding
- 2 cups (240 ml.) long-grain Thai black sticky rice. It will have the appearance of regular long-grain rice but look like it’s been toasted, though it’s actually a different variety of long-grain rice. NOTE: Do not be tempted to get short-grain Japanese sticky rice. It will not turn out the same.
This is what the black sticky rice looks like before it's cooked.
- 12 cups (3 l.) water
- 3 cups (720 ml.) granulated sugar
- 1 can (14 oz. or 415 ml.) of coconut milk
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml.) salt
- In a bowl, soak the black sticky rice in hot water overnight. Make sure the water completely covers the rice by an inch or so because the rice will swell. The next day when you’re ready to cook, drain the water.
- In a stock pot, bring the 12 cups ( 3 l.) of water to a boil and lower the heat to medium.
- Add the soaked black sticky rice.
- Cover with lid and keep at a low boil for 2½ hours, stirring every so often so the rice doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pot.
- When you’ve got about 10 minutes left to boil the rice, add the 3 cups (720 ml.) of sugar and stir in, making sure to completely dissolve the sugar. Cook the last 10 minutes and turn off heat and keep covered.
- In a saucepan, combine salt and coconut milk and heat over low heat until the salt is completely dissolved, then turn off the heat.
- When you’re ready to have dessert, serve the black sticky rice in bowls and drizzle the coconut milk into the top of each serving.
As Mom says, “Aroy na!” (It’s yummy!).
— Victor (with much thanks to my mother, Pranee, who has taught me almost everything she knows about Thai cooking. I’m making sure I learn the rest soon, as she’s 75.)
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About the Author (Author Profile)
Victor Panichkul is a journalist and writer by training; a cook, wine lover and photographer by passion; and a lover of the outdoors since moving to Oregon more than 6 years ago. He is a native of Bangkok, Thailand.
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That looks delicious! I’ve added long-grain Thai black sticky rice to my shopping list.
Jacquie, In Salem you can find the long-grain black sticky rice at:
Que Huong Oriental Foods
3360 Silverton Rd NE
Salem, OR 97301-8660
(503) 371-7274
It is an absolutely fabulous ending to a meal!
This looks fantastic! I’ve only had the white sticky rice with mangos, which is one of my favorite foods on the planet that Vic’s Mom makes. I bookmarked your site Vic! Thanks! Becky
Mark and I were at that Lunar New Year’s Party and everything you say about Thai Sticky Rice is true. You and Charles have introduced us to so many tastes we had been missing. Thanks for sharing the recipe.