Rainbow mango sticky rice

Wash the glutinous rice very well, swishing by hand, about 5 times, until the water runs mostly clear; poor washing leaves excess starch and gummy rice.

Soak the rice at least 4 hours and up to overnight; colour the soaking water for rainbow rice.

Variation: For green, blend pandan leaves with water until mostly fine, strain through a sieve, add a couple of drops of food colouring for brightness, and soak washed rice in it.

Variation: For yellow, dissolve turmeric powder in hot water, then add cold water to cool it before soaking the rice.

Variation: For blue, soak dried butterfly pea flowers in hot water 15 minutes, make it darker than wanted, and cool with cold water to room temp. Add a little lime or lemon juice to turn it purplish blue.

Variation: Grate a red beet into room temp water; it steams orange, so use food colouring for pink.

Variation: For dark purple, rinse black sticky rice, cover with hot off-the-boil water and soak at least 30 minutes; cool to room temp with ice cubes, add washed white rice and soak together another four hours.

Drain the soaked rice and shake off as much water as possible; handle gently, as soaked grains are brittle.

Line a steamer rack with a moist, wrung-out muslin. Lay out the colours so they do not touch, fold the cloth over and steam over boiling water about 20 to 25 minutes.

Heat coconut milk, sugar and salt, with a pandan leaf if wanted, just until steaming and the sugar dissolves; turn off at the first sign of bubbling and keep covered so it does not reduce.

Put the hot rice in a bowl, pour the hot coconut syrup over and mix; both must be steaming hot. Add a few drops of food colouring if pale.

Cover and rest 20 minutes, fold the bottom up to the top to redistribute the syrup, and rest at least 20 minutes more.

For the salted coconut sauce, dissolve a little rice flour or corn starch in water until lump-free, add to coconut milk with salt, and stir over medium heat until it boils; it thickens further as it cools.

Rinse split-hull mung beans, cover with plenty of water and bring to a boil over medium-high; turn off the heat, cover and soak 10 minutes, then drain and dry on paper towel.

Grease a pan very lightly and stir the beans over medium-high heat, gently at first, until slightly golden brown and nutty, about 7 to 8 minutes; cool on a plate.

Peel ripe mangoes with a sharp knife, removing all the skin to avoid bitterness; cut off the cheeks with the knife against the seed and slice.

Serve half a mango per portion with the coloured rice, the salted coconut sauce spooned over the rice, and the crispy mung beans.