Pandan Sticky Rice Dessert is a traditional Thai treat with fragrant pandan juice, sticky rice, and creamy coconut milk. It's a simple Thai dessert with minimal ingredients and comes together quickly. Serve it warm or cold!
Check out pandan jasmine rice, pandan chicken, sticky rice mango, Thai pandan custard, pandan coconut jelly dessert, brown sugar simple syrup with pandan leaves, and kabocha squash custard for more Thai treats.
To learn more about Thai ingredients used in this recipe, check out what pandan is here, how to make pandan juice, how to make coconut milk, and how to crack fresh coconut.
Jump to:
- What is Pandan Sticky Rice Dessert
- Why You'll Love Pandan Sticky Rice Dessert
- Ingredients for Making Pandan Sticky Rice Dessert
- To make Pandan Sticky Rice Dessert, you'll need the following ingredients:
- How to Make Thai Sticky Rice
- Tips for the Perfect Pandan Sticky Rice Dessert
- Storage
- Variations & Substitutes
- Helpful Kitchen Tools for This Recipe
- Related Thai Recipes You May Like
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Pandan Sticky Rice Dessert
- Relate Thai Recipes
What is Pandan Sticky Rice Dessert
Pandan Sticky Rice Dessert, also known as Xôi Lá Dứa (Xoi la dua) in Vietnamese or Khao Niew Bai Toey in Thai, is a popular sweet treat across Southeast Asia.
It features glutinous rice cooked with pandan leaf extract or paste, giving it a distinct green hue and a subtle floral flavor. The sticky rice is cooked with the creamy coconut milk sauce until it thickens and becomes a glutinous cake.
The green rice dessert is topped with fresh shredded coconut or sesame seeds for extra flavor.
Why You'll Love Pandan Sticky Rice Dessert
- Like many Asian desserts, this one is a vegan dessert! This delicious dish is for everyone to enjoy!
- Not only is it visually stunning with its vibrant green color, but it also offers a delightful combination of textures and flavors.
- The chewy, slightly sticky rice pairs perfectly with the creamy coconut milk, creating a perfect balance of sweetness and richness.
- Plus, it's a versatile dish that can be enjoyed as a dessert or even a snack any time of day!
- It is a great make-ahead dessert. Make it a day before and serve it the next day, and it's perfect.
Ingredients for Making Pandan Sticky Rice Dessert
- Coconut milk. Make your own coconut milk or use Thai brands like Chao Koh or Aroy-D.
- Sugar. Palm and brown sugar work, too, but your pandan sticky rice may be slightly brown but still delicious.
- Salt. Helps round out the sweetness of sugar and coconut milk.
- Sticky rice. Glutinous rice (also known as sweet rice or sticky rice)
- Shredded coconut meat
- Pandan juice. If this is your first time using pandan juice, you can buy store-bought pandan juice. If you are feeling adventurous or for the next time you want to work with real pandan leaves. Make your own pandan juice by following the instructions here.
- Pandan extract. They are also labeled pandan paste, pandan extract, or essence in Asian markets. As needed.
- Sesame seeds add nutty texture and nutrients to the dessert.
To make Pandan Sticky Rice Dessert, you'll need the following ingredients:
1. Add coconut milk, pandan juice, sugar, and salt to a medium saucepan on medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Stir often.
2. Add pandan extract if you want a brighter color. Stir until smooth. Allow it to cook for 2-3 minutes
3. Add the cooked sticky rice and keep stirring until the liquid is thoroughly absorbed into the sticky rice. Add some shredded coconut if you want some cooked with the rice, or save them for garnishing only.
This part is optional.
You’ll have thick, sticky, consistent bright green rice by this point.
4. Keep stirring the rice, almost non-stop, until you get a very sticky consistency and the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.
5. Remove to pan. Sprinkled sesame seeds, toasted coconut flakes, or fresh coconut meat and allow it to cool completely before serving. Cut It into different shapes and sizes and serve!
How to Make Thai Sticky Rice
To make Thai sticky rice, check out these detailed posts for the perfect sticky rice using a bamboo basket and another method without a traditional bamboo basket.
For this recipe, don't overcook your sticky rice. Leave the sticky rice on the el dente side as it will be cooked in the pot.
Here's a quick rundown on how to make the perfect sticky rice for pandan coconut sticky rice.
1. ln a large bowl. Soak sticky rice in warm water for 4-5 hours. Never use hot water or boiling water to soak the rice.
2. Place the soaked rice in a basket or any steamer. Use a cheesecloth to hold the rice in the steamer.
3. On high heat, bring the pot of sticky rice in a steamer to a boil and cook the rice for 10-15 minutes. Remove the hot rice from the steamer to a plate and allow it to cool.
Measure out what you need for the pandan sticky rice treat and use the rest of the rice for eating.
Another great way to enjoy any leftover sticky rice is to sprinkle a teaspoon of salt over the fresh rice, make glutinous rice balls, and enjoy it!
Tips for the Perfect Pandan Sticky Rice Dessert
- Add crushed roasted peanuts to garnish for extra crunch.
- Add fresh fruit like sliced fresh mango, jack fruit, or pineapple for extra tangy fruit texture. Cut them into small pieces for toppings.
- Use fresh pandan leaves for the best flavor, but pandan extract or paste works well too. If using only the leaves without the extract, your rice will be a muted green as the greener leaves do not give out a bright green color like the extract.
- Soak the glutinous rice for at least 4 hours or overnight for the best texture.
- Adjust the sweetness of the coconut sauce to your liking by adding more or less sugar. Make a healthy low-fat dessert recipe by using less sugar.
- Top the dessert with various fresh fruits for added freshness and flavor.
Storage
- Pandan sticky rice can be left at room temperature for 5-6 hours. Cover it with tin foil to keep it fresh and warm.
- Leftover Pandan Sticky Rice Dessert can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat it gently in the microwave or on the stovetop before serving.
Variations & Substitutes
- For added crunch, experiment with different toppings, such as roasted peanuts or shredded coconut.
- For a creamier version, use coconut cream instead of coconut milk.
Helpful Kitchen Tools for This Recipe
- Bamboo steamer basket for steaming sticky rice
- A large mixing bowl for soaking sticky rice and for use to store the finished dessert.
Related Thai Recipes You May Like
- Thai roast peanuts
- Mango Sticky Rice
- Thai Coconut Ice Cream
- Thai shrimp fried rice recipe
- What is tapioca starch?
- Black Sticky Rice Pudding
Frequently Asked Questions
No. You must use only sticky rice for this recipe. The regular white rice doesn't have the sticky texture to hold the dessert together.
Pandan rice typically refers to glutinous rice cooked with pandan leaves or extract, also known as pandan sticky rice.
Sticky rice and sweet sticky rice are the same thing, referring to glutinous rice known for its sticky texture when cooked.
You can, but the rice will be very mushy, not ideal for making pandan sticky rice desserts.
Pandan Sticky Rice Dessert
- Total Time: 25
- Yield: 10 servings 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Pandan Sticky Rice Dessert is a traditional Thai treat with fragrant pandan juice, sticky rice, and creamy coconut milk. It's a simple Thai dessert with minimal ingredients and comes together quickly. Serve it warm or cold!
Ingredients
- 1 can 13.5 coconut milk
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup pandan juice
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups cooked sticky rice
- ½ cup shredded coconut meat
- Pandan extract. As needed
- Sesame seeds. As needed
Instructions
1. Add coconut milk, pandan juice, sugar, and salt to a medium saucepan on medium heat and bring to a gentle boil. Stir often.
2. Add pandan extract if you want a brighter color. Stir until smooth. Allow it to cook for 2-3 minutes
3. Add the cooked sticky rice and keep stirring until the liquid is thoroughly absorbed into the sticky rice. Add some shredded coconut if you want some cooked with the rice, or save them for garnishing only.
This part is optional. By now, you’ll have thick, sticky, consistent, bright green rice.
4. Keep stirring the rice, almost non-stop, until you get a very sticky consistency and the liquid has been absorbed by the rice.
5. Remove to pan. Sprinkled sesame seeds, toasted coconut flakes, or fresh coconut meat and allow it to cool completely before serving. Cut It into different shapes and sizes and serve!
Notes
- Add crushed roasted peanuts to garnish for extra crunch.
- Add fresh fruit like sliced fresh mango, jack fruit, or pineapple for extra tangy fruit texture. Cut them into small pieces for toppings.
- Use fresh pandan leaves for the best flavor, but pandan extract or paste works well too. If using only the leaves without the extract, your rice will be a muted green as the greener leaves do not give out a bright green color like the extract.
- Soak the glutinous rice for at least 4 hours or overnight for the best texture.
- Adjust the sweetness of the coconut sauce to your liking by adding more or less sugar. Make a healthy, low-fat dessert recipe by using less sugar.
- Top the dessert with various fresh fruits for added freshness and flavor.
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 15
- Category: Desserts
- Method: stovetop
- Cuisine: Thai
Relate Thai Recipes
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these recipes.
Lindsay says
Such a yummy dessert! I love the chewy texture and the unique fragrance of sticky rice and pandan. I think next time I need to add a little more pandan flavoring, I had never used it before so I erred on the side of caution. I'm happy to report that a mesh strainer and a large stockpot work just fine for steaming sticky rice. The strainer is just a little too wide at the rim to fit in the pot, so it was suspended over the boiling water. I did scorch my cheesecloth a bit though, next time I'll wet it before putting it in.
Suwanee says
Hi Laura,
I have never tried using Arborio rice before so I don't know exactly. My guess is that it will not work.
Laura says
Would arborio rice (the type of rice used to make Italian risotto) work in this recipe?
Suwanee says
Hi Matrona, I used 1/2 cup pandan juice.
Matrona says
I apologize if I've overlooked the measurement, but how much pandan juice should we use for this recipe?