Black Sticky Rice Pudding

Kao Niew Dum is black Sticky rice which is eaten in Thailand and Southeast Asia as a sweet snack. The nutty wholegrain rice is encased in a deep purple husk which contains a type of antioxidant called an Anthocyanin. White sticky rice is a different strain from black sticky rice. You cannot polish the husk off the latter and expect to find a white grain. The grain is much lighter than the deep purple husk, but it's certainly not white.   

Kao Niew Dum is most often steamed and then mixed with sweetened and salted coconut milk. Because of its rich flavour, black sticky rice is not usually accompanied by fruit (unlike white sweet sticky rice). Instead, its flavour is enhanced by a garnish of toasted sesame seeds or shredded coconut.

I always make the Black Sticky Rice Pudding from Kasma Loha-Unchit's recipe.

I do also love to eat Kao Niew Dum when it is served with a Thai dessert called Lod Chong. This particular dessert, which I have only ever eaten in Thailand, does not look that appealing but it tastes fantastic. It consists of green rice flour noodles that are flavoured with pandan and served with black sticky rice, crushed ice and a delicious sweet syrup. The syrup is made from coconut milk that has been boiled with palm sugar. It is heavenly, especially after eating a particularly spicy Thai meal.

I am submitting this post to Sugar High Friday's The Proof is in the Pudding which is being hosted by Kochtopf.

Black Sticky Rice Pudding Recipe

2 cups of black sticky rice, previously soaked overnight
1 can of coconut milk
1/2 cup of white sugar
1/2 tsp of sea salt
1 tsp of toasted sesame seeds
Special equipment: Steaming pot & a heat-proof bowl

Method:

1. Wash the rice grains under cool water for about a minute. Next, soak the rice in a bowl of water overnight so that it can expand as it absorbs the liquid.
2. Once you are ready to cook the rice, drain it and place the it in a heat-proof bowl ensuring to allow enough room for the grains to expand when being steamed. Cover the rice with enough boiling water to just cover it. 
3. Fill the steaming pot with about 3 inches of water. Place the bowl on the steamer but make sure the bowl is not sitting in any water. Steam the rice over a medium heat for about 40 minutes.
4. Meanwhile, heat the coconut milk over a medium heat. Add the sugar and salt and stir well until the sugar is disolved. Keep the sauce warm.   
5. When the rice is ready, remove it from the steamer and then add about 1/2 a cup of the coconut milk mixture to it. Coat the rice well with the sauce and then let it sit for about 15 minutes.
6. Once you are ready to serve, drizzle the rice with a little more sauce and sprinkle on the toasted sesame seeds.

Comments

[Bri]

This is such a beautiful pudding. I found some purple rice from Thailand by a company called AlterEco. I tried it out, but the rice never seemed cooked all the way through. Maybe the box should have said that it needed to soak overnight first. Hmmm...But your pudding looks delicious and is such a gorgeous color.

[darbunk]

I love all Thai desserts! Give me those over anything chocolate any day! Unfortunately you never find them here in the US.

[zorra]

Wow, I love "unusal" recipes. This one sounds delicious. Thank you for joining SHF 38.

[Syrie]

Hi Bri, Yes try soaking it overnight and that should do the trick. You can also just add more boiling water to the rice when you are steaming it and that should do the trick as well. Thanks for stopping by!

[Syrie]

Hi DB, me too. I crave them. I really love all the Thai jellies and custards. There are a few restaurants than make Sticky rice and mango but it's never the same as the authentic thing.

[Syrie]

Thanks Zorra! Look forward to seeing the pudding round up.

[Hillary]

Jeez - I knew I liked sticky rice, and rice pudding but I have never tried BLACK sticky rice pudding! I will have to! :)

[myfrenchkitchen]

this looks so great. I have never had black rice pudding and with the sesame seeds, it must be extraordinary..I'm putting it on my list.
ronell

[Kim]

What a stunning dish. While usual for you it would be a great UNusual pudding for my family to try. Thanks for sharing.

[Tamara]

I've always soaked black sticky rice over night, this pudding is also yummy with equal parts black and white sticky rice. I've always served it with fresh mangos or star fruit. Try serving it in a large green bowl, the colour contrast is beautiful!

[Shiyun]

If you're interested, take a look at my recipe for Black Glutinous Rice - this is the way it's usually done in Southeast Asia. =)