We opened the door at 11:45 p.m. and begged for a dinner seating. The waiters turned us away, then, laughing at our disappointment, pulled off our coats and sat us at the last empty table in the place.

The restaurant was full of Parisians who seemed to have zero worries about getting to bed at a reasonable hour on a Thursday night. No one was in a hurry.

We began with cornichons and French butter with bread (the butter comes first in this mention, with good reason), then proceeded through many eye-opening dishes. For example, I still can’t believe that asparagus could carry so much flavor and perfect to-the-tooth texture. The rest of the dishes only improved the evening; then we were told that rice pudding was the signature dessert. My friends were skeptical, but I had no hesitation. I trusted anything the kitchen could slop into a bowl at that point.

The pudding was unlike anything else I’d had — deeply creamy and not the glop I had come to associate with rice pudding. The grains were a pleasant texture, and it was topped with stewed prunes, of all things. We fought over the last bit.

I was dreaming of that rice pudding as I sliced mangoes in my steamy kitchen this week. The garbage can beside me was filling up with skins and pits while juice pooled on the counter.

Let it be written that summer 2019 was the season of fruit gluttony. This mango season has yielded innumerable fruit, and I’m not sad about it. I’m sure I could bleed mango sap now. I only wish I had more ways to let the fruit shine as it deserves.

Thai coconut sticky rice with mango is a perfect pairing, but it’s a dish I prefer others to make, as sticky rice is a bit of a hassle to prepare. When I let that thought drift to the dessert I’d had in Paris, I knew I had to satisfy my craving, even if I couldn’t hope to replicate it.

I took a note from the coconut and mango pairing, and ended up with an island-style rice pudding I could happily eat in hot weather. Rice pudding usually requires stewing, but this one hardly took more time than making the rice.

Happily, I had cold leftovers, with fresh mango that I’m not running out of any time soon.

COCONUT RICE PUDDING WITH MANGO

By Mariko Jackson

• 1 cup raw jasmine rice
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 1 can coconut milk
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1 to 2 pinches salt, or to taste
• Fresh sliced mango, for serving

Rinse rice and put in a small saucepan with water. Turn heat to high; cover pan. Once water boils, turn heat to low; simmer and steam 10 more minutes. Turn off heat and leave covered for several more minutes.

Turn heat to medium. Add coconut milk and sugars. Stir until sugars are dissolved. Add pinch of salt and taste, adding more if you wish. Bring back to a simmer for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring constantly.

Turn off heat and let sit until pudding cools to room temperature. Serve with mango. Serves 6 to 8.

Nutritional information unavailable.

Mariko Jackson blogs about family and food at thelittlefoodie.com. Her column runs on the last Wednesday of the month. Nutritional analysis by Joannie Dobbs, Ph.D., C.N.S.