A few weeks ago, I was at Grand Mart and decided to pick up a small durian in lieu of a pineapple for my 33-week belly shot. I knew at some point I wanted to incorporate a durian into the series. :)
Best part, of course, was that I got to eat the durian afterward. Actually… confession: My husband and I might’ve dug into the durian before remembering that we’d bought it for a photo. :P Luckily, we’d only pried open one side, so when we realized what happened, we closed the husk back up and simply shot the durian from its good side (shhh). :)
Durian sticky rice is popular in Southeast Asia, especially in Malaysia and Singapore. It’s similar to mango sticky rice, so I actually just adapted this from that recipe. What makes it even more delicious is that the custardy texture of the durian allows for it to be mixed right into the coconut-milk-drenched rice, resulting in the most luscious, creamy, fragrant rice pudding I guarantee you’ll ever have tasted (if you like durian, that is).
Incidentally, given that I’m at 38 weeks and theoretically ready to deliver any day now, I just wanted to say I’ll be taking a bit of a break from this blog for the next few months. I do have a few posts saved up that I’ve scheduled to publish over the next little while, though, so don’t go away! Becca will also be around with a few things up her sleeve. Until then, happy eating, friends!
Durian Sticky Rice
Adapted from Real Thai Recipes
Serves 2
Last time, I made my sticky rice in the rice cooker. This time, I tried steaming it in a pasta pot with the pasta insert. You can also try using the steamer insert, but I used the pasta one because it sits lower in the pot, which I figured would allow the rice to cook more easily. Of course, if you have a bamboo steamer, that’s the way to go. And last time some friends also mentioned simply cooking the rice in the microwave. I also eliminated the step of making the coconut sauce separately and instead just used the same coconut mixture both incorporated into the rice and drizzled over top.
1 cup glutinous rice (also called sweet rice or sticky rice)
1 1/2 cup coconut milk
1/4 tsp salt
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1 Tbsp water
toasted sesame seeds, salted fried mung beans, or toasted crushed peanuts (optional)
1/4 whole durian (or pods from 2 sections of the durian)
1. Soak the sticky rice in water for at least an hour and up to overnight.
2. Line a steamer pot or bamboo steamer with cheese cloth (you can also use banana leaf). Boil water in the pot below the steamer, and allow the rice to steam for about 20-30 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat the coconut milk in a saucepan with the salt and sugar. Stir over low heat until dissolved.
4. When the rice is cooked, spread it in a shallow bowl or pan and slowly add the coconut milk mixture about 1/4 cup at a time, each time stirring well to fully incorporate the liquid, until about 1 cup has been added. Make sure there are no pools of coconut milk in the rice; the liquid should be fully absorbed. Cover and let the rice sit for about 10-15 minutes to keep absorbing the coconut milk.
5. Dissolve the cornstarch in 1 tablespoon of water. Add to the remaining coconut milk mixture on the stove, and stir until the mixture thickens.
6. Pry open the durian with a flat screwdriver and hammer, or cut into it with a sharp knife. Remove the pods from two of the sections and arrange on one side of each plate. Arrange the sticky rice on the other half of each plate. Top the rice with the thickened coconut sauce and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, fried mung beans, or toasted crushed peanuts.
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