Preparation of Rice:

Soak the sweet rice in 1 cup water for 20 minutes, or up to 1 hour.

The sticky rice can be steamed or made in a pot. To make it in a pot, do not drain. Add 3/4 cup (more) water to the rice, plus 1/4 can coconut milk, 1/4 tsp. salt, and 1 Tbsp. brown sugar. Stir this into the rice, lifting any rice grains that have stuck to the bottom of the pot.

Bring to a gentle boil, then partially cover with a lid (leaving some room for steam to escape). Turn the heat down to medium-low.

Allow to simmer for 20 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed by the rice. Remove the pot from the heat, place the lid on tight, and leave to "steam" cook for 5-10 minutes.

Make sauce and serve the dessert right away, or store the rice (covered) in the refrigerator until you're ready to use it.

Preparation of Sauce:

Warm the rest of the can of coconut milk together with 1/4 cup sugar, a pinch of salt, 1 tsp. almond extract and 1 tsp vanilla extract over medium heat (5 minutes).

Add cornstarch (dissolved in the water) to the sauce and stir to thicken it slightly. As it thickens, turn down heat to low. When thickened, remove from heat.

Serving Suggestions:

Pour the sauce over the rice while the rice is still in the pot and stir. Scoop rice and sauce combo into bowls and serve with mango.

Place scoops of the sticky rice in bowls. Ladle a generous amount of warm coconut sauce over the rice (creating an “island” of sticky rice). Add slices/pieces of ripe fresh mango.

For "saucier" rice: Add rice (portion out 1 scoop per person) directly to the sauce pot and stir over low heat, gently breaking apart the larger lumps, but leaving smaller lumps/chunks). Now add the mango pieces and gently stir until everything is warmed through. Portion out into serving bowls, making sure everyone has equal amounts of rice, mango, and sauce. Enjoy!