Vegetables like taro are often used in Thai desserts. Black sticky rice is simply white rice with the bran left on and it is actually more purple than black. You must cook the rice before adding any sugar or it will toughen and never become tender.
Ingredients
- 6 oz black sticky rice (black glutinous rice)
- 10 oz (280 g) taro, cut into 1 cm (½ in) squares and soaked in cold water
- 6 oz (150 g) palm sugar (jaggery)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 fl oz ¾ cup (185 ml) coconut milk
How to Make It
- Put the rice in a bowl and pour in cold water to come 5 cm (2 in) above the rice. Soak for at least 3 hours, or overnight if possible.
- Drain the rice and add clean water. Scoop the rice through your fingers four or five times to clean it, then drain. Repeat two or three times with clean water to remove the unwanted starch. (The water will never be completely clear when using black rice, even when all the unwanted starch has gone.)
- Put the rice in a saucepan with 625 ml (22 fl oz/ 2½ cups) cold water. Bring to the boil, stirring the rice frequently as it reaches boiling point. Reduce the heat to medium. Stir, then simmer for 30–35 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and nearly all of the liquid has been absorbed. The rice should be very moist, but with hardly any water remaining in the bottom of the saucepan.
- Meanwhile, drain the taro, spread it on a plate and transfer it to a bamboo steamer or other steamer. Taking care not to burn your hands, set the basket over a pan of boiling water over high heat. Cover and steam for 8–10 minutes, or until the taro is cooked and tender.
- When the rice is cooked, add the sugar and gently stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the taro and gently mix.
- Mix the salt into the coconut milk. Divide the rice mixture among individual bowls and drizzle the coconut milk on top. Serve warm.
