Mango Ginger Sticky Rice

Ease of Preparation: Easy

Yield: 4 portions

Chef Siobhan Detkavich is cooking for… Libra! So… what does an Air Sign with a ruling planet of Venus eat? This simple dish is as Libra as they come! Both mangos and ginger are considered sacred aphrodisiacs to Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Libras. Perhaps you know her better as Libra’s ruling planet, Venus?

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (470 ml) Japanese sushi rice
• 3 cups (710 ml) water
• 1 13 ½ -ounce (405 ml) can coconut milk, divided
• 6 tablespoons (90 ml) white sugar, divided
• ½ -inch (1.25 cm) knob ginger, peeled, grated on a rasp
• ¼ teaspoon (1.25 ml) salt
• ½ cup (120 ml) dehydrated mango pieces
• 3-4 ripe mangos, peeled
• Toasted white sesame seeds, for garnish

Method:

In a medium sized pot, soak the rice in the water for 20-30 minutes. Do not drain.

Meanwhile, in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, warm half of the coconut milk for 5 minutes.

Add 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of white sugar and cook, stirring to dissolve, 1-2 minutes.

Remove the pan from heat and allow to cool to room temperature. Transfer to the refrigerator. Reserve for plating.

To the pot of rice soaking in water, add remaining coconut milk, ginger, salt, and remaining white sugar. Add the dehydrated mango pieces. Stir to combine, then bring the mixture to a gentle boil over medium-high heat.

Once gently boiling, cover the pot loosely with a lid and reduce the heat to medium-low.

Allow the rice to simmer until the coconut water has been absorbed, 15-18 minutes. Turn the heat off but keep the pot on the burner and put the lid on tightly. Allow the rice to sit undisturbed for 5-10 minutes.

Uncover the rice. Discard the dehydrated mango pieces.

Spoon the warm rice into a 2-inch (5 cm) round ring mold to shape portions onto small serving plates. Rice should be a little over 1-inch (2.5 cm) high.

Spoon 1-2 tablespoons (15-30 ml) of chilled coconut sauce over the warm rice. Top with sesame seeds.

Slice the mango into thirds, leaving the sizeable core in the centre piece. Keep the side pieces, or “cheeks” for the roses and discard the cores.

Place a mango cheek cut side down and slice very thinly on the diagonal into ⅛-inch (3 mm) thick slices

Press the mango slices into a long snake-like shape, the begin curling that shape into itself, rolling it up so it looks like a rose.

Using a small offset spatula, carefully place the mango roses on top of the rice.

Serve immediately.