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There are many types of rice puddings in the Thai dessert repertoire, but this one is an absolute classic. Longan is a juicy, sweet, aromatic fruit that goes so well with the rice pudding. It's a comforting, satisfying, ward dessert that is also a ridiculously easy recipe that you really cannot screw up. It is also gluten-free and vegan 🙂
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Coconut Rice Pudding w/ Longans ข้าวเหนียวเปียกลำไย
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Thai sticky rice (what is Thai sticky rice?)
- ~3 cups water
- 6-8 pandan leaves
- ¼ cup + 2 Tbsp sugar, or to taste
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ½ cups longans, fresh or canned (see note)
- ¼ cup young coconut meat, cut into small pieces, optional
- 1 cup coconut milk (how to choose good coconut milk)
- ¼ tsp salt
Note: If using canned longans, choose a brand from Thailand. You will need no more than 1 can for this recipe. Drain the longans from the syrup but do not rinse them. If using fresh, peel and remove the seeds.
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Instructions
For the rice pudding:
Rinse the sticky rice a couple of times using cold water, then add to a heavy bottomed pot. Add 2 cups of water and bring to a gentle simmer. Let the rice simmer gently for about 15-20 minutes or until the rice has thickened up into a pudding-like consistency. Stir it frequently to make sure it's not sticking to the bottom—in the beginning you don't need to stir as much, but you will need to increase the frequency once the pudding starts to look thick.
Meanwhile, blend the pandan leaves with ¾ cup of the remaining water. Strain out all the fibers through a fine mesh sieve, pressing out as much juice as you can.
Once the rice has a thick, pudding-like consistency, but it still has a bit of an uncooked core, add the pandan juice and the longans and stir. You can stir the young coconut meat in at this point, or save it as garnish like I did in the video. Let simmer for another 5 minutes or so, stirring frequently, until the rice is fully cooked (just give it a taste to make sure it no longer has a crunchy center).
Add sugar and salt, and stir to dissolve. Taste and add more sugar as needed.
For the Coconut Sauce
Combine the coconut milk and salt in a pot, and bring it to a boil over high heat. Once boiling, turn off the heat.
Assembly
Ladle a portion of the warm or room temp pudding into a serving bowl, then top with young coconut meat (if you haven't stirred it in) and more longans, if desired. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons of coconut milk on top and enjoy. Some people stir the coconut milk into the pudding, others like to let it sit on top, so it's up to you. Feel free to go back and add more coconut milk if you want it to be saltier/creamier.
Susan says
At one point does one add the coconut milk? I see it in the recipe list, but not in the explanation (unless I'm going blind!).
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Good catch! Sorry about that, it appears part of the instructions is missing and I have added it. The coconut milk and salt is part of the sauce that goes on top. For the future, if there are any confusions about the written recipe, the video is a good reference to check out if you need an immediate answer. Of course please let me know regardless so I can fix any issues, but it can be a while before I get to comments. Thanks for pointing this out!
Jessica says
Hi Pailin, been a fan for years. Love your videos. Would like to ask if this dessert is served hot or cold?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
So sorry we missed this! It's served warm or room temp.
Ella says
Is there an alternative to pandan leaves?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
Not really, you can get pandan extract but add just a little bit as it can be strong. You can always use vanilla though it will be a different flavour. Omitting is an option as well, it'll still be good.
Cherine says
I got lots of lychees, could I use them instead of logan?
Pailin Chongchitnant says
You can. I'm not sure how well the flavours would work as I've never tried it, but certainly worth a try!