Mirzam - Mango Sticky Rice 52% Milk Chocolate (bar) - Dec. 23, 2025

Chocolate of the Day

Mirzam Chocolate Makers
Mango Sticky Rice 52% Milk Chocolate (bar)
Good ++
Weight: 1.25 oz. (35 g.) / 2.5 oz. (70 g.) in total

Calories: 166 calories in 1/2 bar (per label)
Cost: $14.50 for 1 bar

Purchased from: Bar & Cocoa, online order

Welcome to Day #10 of Chocolate & Rice Theme Week.

Today's flavorful Mango Sticky Rice 52% Milk Chocolate (bar) was from Mirzam Chocolate Makers (Kakaw Manufacturing Co. LLC, Dubai, United Arab Emirates). 

Aroma and flavor notes for this attractively packaged* bar included: smooth milk chocolate, fruit (mango) and sweet, fruity rice cereal with very faint coconut oil.

Sticky Rice with Mango is a popular dessert dish across many Asian nations, including India, China and Thailand...where we're headed this week.** And this bar was a fusion of stories and ingredients from many countries.

The rice, mango and coconut found in today's bar have an intertwined history with Arab traders. The company's name (Mirzam) refers to a star that Arab traders followed.

Rice was likely first cultivated in China, but rice in India and Thailand may stretch back as far back as 6,000 BCE. Arab traders brought mangos from South Asia to the middle east and helped expand markets for rice. They also carried coconuts to the middle east from India and SE Asia.

Texture: a blend of creamy milk chocolate studded with crispy, softly crunchy, roasted rice bits. (The mango was completely incorporated into the chocolate.)

Flavor notes included a very satisfying blend of flavors: smooth dark milk chocolate (slightly more flavorful than most milk chocolates and slightly less sweet (thank you!)); complex, authentic, fruity mango, very faint coconut, and slightly malty crispy rice bits. 

The makers elevated (what might have been) a sweet, fruity milk chocolate into a celebration of each of component by sourcing a short list of high-quality ingredients. The choices to use a single origin (India) chocolate (and a slightly darker 52%, vs. for example, a 40-45% cacao milk chocolate) and the Alphonse mango were especially nice. The coconut wasn't intrusive; and the rice added a mellowing flavor and a crispy texture.

Ingredients: "Cocoa beans, unrefined cane sugar, cocoa butter, coconut, mango, roasted rice"

*The background printed on the bar's packaging was inspired by Chinese blue and white porcelain -- complete with a dragon surrounded by clouds and a geometric pattern resembling rows of dragon scales across the top half. 

The dragon(s) amid clouds motif is considered auspicious, and can connote "imperial power and divine connection."

To me, this pattern evoked ancient traditions behind crafting rice and mangos, and crafting beautiful items in Asia--while a world away in the Americas cacao (including cacao pulp/fruit) and maize and ceramics were being celebrated. How wonderful that all these traditions came together (a "divine connection") in such a delicious way today.

**The day after tomorrow, we will segue into Chocolate & Thailand Theme Week.