(Sweet Black Rice)

　　Because Thais don't really have a dessert tradition, this simple black rice dish with coconut milk is most commonly eaten as a sweet snack or for breakfast — it also, however, makes a wonderful end to a meal. Recently available in North America, black glutinous rice is unpolished, so it is quite chewy, like brown rice. Thais make a more tender dish by combining the black rice with white sticky rice. As the rices soak together before steaming, the white rice takes on color from the black to become a beautiful dark purple.

　　

Ingredients

Serves 6 to 8 as a dessert or sweet snack

　　1 cup Thai black (glutinous) rice

　　1 cup Thai long-grain sticky (glutinous) rice

　　1 1/2 cups well-stirred canned unsweetened coconut milk (about 12 ounces)

　　4 tablespoons palm sugar or firmly packed brown sugar

　　1/2 teaspoon salt

　　Accompaniments: slices of peach, mango, star fruit, or other soft acid-sweet fruit

　　

Step 1

Soak and steam black rice and sticky rice together, following procedures in recipe for Sticky Rice .

　　

Step 2

While rice is steaming, in a small saucepan heat coconut milk, sugar, and salt over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved. Keep sauce warm, covered.

　　

Step 3

Transfer steamed rice to a bowl and immediately pour warm sauce over it, stirring gently. Let rice mixture stand covered, at room temperature at least 30 minutes and up to 3 hours for rice to absorb sauce and flavors to blend. Do not chill mixture or it will dry out and harden.

　　

Step 4

Serve rice with fruit.