Thai Mango Sticky Rice (Khao Niaow Ma Muang)

I was very tempted to put this recipe in the "On the Side" category but I guess it really is a dessert. When we visited Thailand in August 2006, I was first introduced to Mango Sticky Rice. It was so delicious, I ordered it every day for lunch. Everyone would let me know I was ordering dessert but I figured with the rice and the fruit, it was a perfectly good lunch! I wanted to try making it myself but was always a little bit nervous about getting the rice just right. Finally, I googled the recipe and tried this one...it turned out fantastic!

1 cup Thai Sweet Rice (available at Asian food stores)...I used regular rice from my pantry and it was fine
1 3/4 cups water
1-2 ripe mangoes, cut into bite-size pieces
1/4 cup plus 1 Tbsp brown sugar
1 can good quality coconut milk
1/4 tsp plus pinch of salt
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsp cornstarch dissolved in 2 Tbsp water

Soak the rice in 1 cup water for 20 minutes or up to 1 hour in a rice cooker.
Add 3/4 cup more water to the rice plus 1/4 can of coconut milk, 1/4 tsp salt and 1 Tbsp brown sugar. Stir this into the rice.
Cook rice according to rice cooker instructions. To make the sauce, warm the rest of the can of coconut milk together with 1/4 cup sugar, a pinch of salt, 1 tsp vanilla over medium heat (5 minutes). Add cornstarch (dissolved int he water) to the sauce and stir to thicken it slightly. As it thickens, turn down heat to low. When thickened, remove from heat. Tip: do not boil the sauce or you will lose the wonderful coconut flavor! To serve: Place scoops of sticky rice in bowls. (It can be served cold, warm or at room temperature) Ladle a generous amount of warm coconut sauce over the rice creating an "island" of sticky rice. Add slices of ripe fresh mango.