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Overtures
ON THE MENU / FRUITFUL FINDS
Words & photo KAY Choomongkol
Mellow
Yellow
Sweetness
Know your Thai mango
varieties and its
delectable sidekick
When the golden mango starts the tango with sticky rice to
create a sweet treat, you know it’s summer in the tropics. As
the Thai heat intensifies, this fragrant fruit comes to the rescue
– with a little help from the sweet companion of coconut sticky
rice – to make the soaring temperatures bearable.
Mention this traditional dessert anywhere, from Thailand
to the rest of the world, and you’re guaranteed a rapturous
reaction. Perhaps it’s the delightful combination of a ripe
mango’s sweetness and hints of tanginess. With the fruit
nicely laid out on sticky rice that’s drenched in a sweet
coconut milk and topped with a gentle layer of salty coconut
cream, this dessert is simply everyone’s favourite.
To elevate your experience of Sticky Rice and Mango
(Khao Niao Mamuang) when eaten from a popular vendor
or restaurant, know the type of mango available and the
way sticky rice should properly taste, spoonful by spoonful.
There are two major varieties of fragrant mangoes to
complement this super dessert: Nam Dok Mai and Ok-
Rong. Nam Dok Mai is the larger and longer shaped fruit
with a yellow-gold peel when ripe and a generous, juicy
flesh of sweetness. Ok-Rong has a shape that is shorter,
smaller in size, with a less than attractive peel – a mix of
yellow and brownish colours. Even though Ok-Rong may
have some fibrous strands, it is without a doubt among
Thais to be the best variety, whose unique taste blends
the sweet and sour of an authentic Thai mango.
For the ultimate in taste, mangoes should be cool and
freshly prepared. The sticky rice grains should shine with
the richness of coconut milk and the sprinkling of crunchy
mung beans as a final touch.
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