Khao Niao Dam — Black Sticky Rice Pudding with Coconut Cream

RECIPES, Desserts

Khao Niao Dam — Black Sticky Rice Pudding with Coconut Cream
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Khao Niao Dam — Black Sticky Rice Pudding with Coconut Cream

Course: Dessert
Servings

4

servings
Cooking time

10

minutes
Total time

55

minutes

Khao niao dam is one of Thailand's most beautiful desserts — and one of its most ancient. Black sticky rice, slow-cooked until tender and deeply purple, served warm in its own lightly sweetened broth and finished with a drizzle of salted coconut cream. It is simple in the way that only the best food is simple — a handful of ingredients, patient cooking, and a result that is quietly extraordinary. The colour alone is stunning: the natural anthocyanins in the black rice turn the cooking liquid a rich, jewel-like purple that deepens as it simmers. Found at temple fairs, market stalls, and family tables across Thailand, this is comfort food in its most honest and nourishing form.

Ingredients

  • For the pudding:

  • 200 grams black glutinous sticky rice

  • 50 grams white glutinous sticky rice (optional — lightens the texture slightly)

  • 1.2 litres water

  • 3 tablespoons palm sugar (or coconut sugar as a substitute)

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

  • 2 pandan leaves, tied in a knot (optional but traditional — adds a subtle floral fragrance)

  • For the salted coconut cream topping:

  • 1 can ONOFF Spices Coconut Cream

  • 1 tablespoon palm sugar (or coconut sugar as a substitute)

  • ¼ teaspoon salt

Directions

  • The pudding:
  • Soak the black sticky rice (and white sticky rice if using) in cold water overnight, or for a minimum of 6 hours. Drain well before cooking.
  • Place the soaked, drained rice in a medium saucepan with the 1.2 litres of water and the pandan leaves if using. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.
  • Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and simmer uncovered for 35–40 minutes, stirring regularly, until the rice is tender and has absorbed most of the liquid, leaving a thick, porridge-like consistency. The cooking liquid will turn a deep, rich purple — this is exactly as it should be.
  • Add the palm sugar and salt and stir well until fully dissolved. Taste and adjust — the pudding should be gently sweet with a clean finish. Remove the pandan leaves.
  • The salted coconut cream topping:
  • While the pudding finishes cooking, warm the ONOFF Coconut Cream gently in a small saucepan over low heat. Do not boil.
  • Add the palm sugar and salt and stir until fully dissolved. The topping should taste creamy, lightly sweet, and distinctly salty — the contrast with the sweet pudding below is the point. Set aside.
  • To serve:
  • Spoon the warm black sticky rice pudding into bowls. Drizzle the salted coconut cream generously over the top — do not stir it in. The two layers sitting separately, the dark purple beneath the white cream, is part of what makes this dessert so visually beautiful.
  • Serve warm. The pudding can also be served at room temperature, though the contrast between warm pudding and cool coconut topping is particularly good.

Notes

  • Black sticky rice is available in most Asian supermarkets. It is sometimes labelled black glutinous rice or forbidden rice — they are the same grain. The overnight soak is essential and cannot be shortened significantly — unlike white sticky rice, the black variety has a tougher outer layer that needs extended soaking to cook through evenly. Leftover pudding keeps well in the fridge for up to three days and reheats beautifully with a splash of water stirred through to loosen it. The coconut topping is best made fresh each time.