Last year my friend and colleague, Yupin, who was then Dean of the School of Nursing at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand, was on sabbatical studying in the United States and wanted to learn how to make a pie! Dick and I had met Yupin when we visited her University in Bangkok several years ago, and she and her fellow nurse educators introduced us to what has since become our favorite Thai dessert: sticky rice with mango. So it seemed fitting that when Yupin came to the United States and wanted to learn how to make a pie, she should make a mango pie. She donned my “Art of the Pie” apron for good luck and set out to make a pie.
We made the dough, rolled out two crusts, and mixed the mango filling. Fresh mangos can be difficult to find, but it was summer and my market had several. I also purchased frozen mangos just in case the fresh ones were not flavorful enough. We ended up with a mix of both and did not notice any difference. As you can see in the photos, Yupin has a great flair for making a pie! 
Thailand is known for its fruits, and mangos are plentiful year round there. My Thai friends knew how much I enjoyed sticky rice with mango, and on the occasion of our last day in their country a few years ago they came to our hotel with a surprise of homemade sticky rice with mango. The sweetness of the rice is complemented by the juicy sweet-tart of the mango….a perfect combination!
People: Friends who enjoy an exchange of dessert recipes typical of each other’s culture. 
Places: Brownsburg and Bangkok
Pies: Mango pie is not a common item in the United States and none of my pie cookbooks had a recipe, so I searched on line and found the recipe we ended up making. This pie is reminiscent of a peach pie, but the mango flavor is more distinctive. In the spirit of a cultural exchange, I made sticky rice with mango. It, too, is a refreshing summer dessert.
- Pastry for double crust pie
- 4 cups peeled and sliced mangos
- 1/c white sugar
- 3 Tblsp cornstarch or tapioca
- 2 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tblsp butter, cut into small pieces
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Line a 9 inch pie pan with 1 rolled out crust
- Combine mango, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, and cinnamon; stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Place the filling in the crust. Dot with butter and cover with the top crust. Pinch the edges together to seal. Cut several vents in the top crust, and if you are proud of the pie, sign your name!
- Bake until crust is brown and the juices are bubbling, about 45 minutes.
- Cool and enjoy
