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Stovetop Rice Pudding
from the kitchen of Eddy Robey
Oh, I'll just bet you smiled when seeing the name of this
recipe, for this is one of the ultimate comfort foods. Most
people have a lovely memory associated with it, perhaps of
the person who first made it for you, or the happy family
events on which it would appear.
One of the nicest things about Rice Pudding is that there
are so many ways to make it. If you are American, the type
at your house probably had Vanilla, and Nutmeg as
flavorings. In Mexico, Where it is called Arroz con Leche,
the tastes are of Cinnamon Sticks, Vanilla, and
Piloncillo, a special sort of Brown Sugar. Persian cooks
call their festive version Sholezard, a Cinnamon, Saffron,
and Rosewater perfumed version which is particularly
luxurious.
The variety of ingredients is great. They may include not
only the spices, but also different sorts of fruits, and
liquids for added flavor. Raisins are the most common
additions, but you may decide to add any sort of chopped,
dried fruit such as Apricots or Dates. Chopped, toasted Nuts
may also be stirred in at the end of cooking to lend a bit
of textural interest. The liquid you choose may be Half and
Half, Milk, Almond Milk, Coconut Milk, Soy Milk,
or Water.
The amount and variety of sweetener used is also a matter of
choice. Sugar may be brown or white, Maple Syrup lends a
traditional American flavor, Honey works very well, and
those of you on special diets may use an artificial
sweetener such as Sucralose. The most important thing to
remember when sweetening Rice Pudding is that whatever your
choice, it must not be added until cooking is complete. This
is because if any type of Sugar is in the mixture along with
raw Rice, the grain will never soften. For this same reason,
Fruit Juices are not suitable liquids, since their natural
Sugars will keep the Rice from cooking properly.
The recipe below has the basic proportions You need for a
batch which will make 6-8 servings, depending on the size of
your appetite. It is intended as a starting point for your
own creativity, taste, and caloric requirements.
Ingredients:
1 cup Short-Grain Rice, such as Calrose or Arborio
5 or 6 cups of Liquid, depending on the final texture
desired
Note: Liquid may be Half and Half, Milk, Almond Milk,
Coconut Milk, Soy Milk, or Water
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Spicing:
Note: you may use 4 Cinnamon Sticks, 1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg,
1/2 teaspoon Saffron Threads, or 1 teaspoon Cardamom. If
Vanilla or other flavored Extracts are to be used, the
quantity may be 1-2 teaspoons, which should be added after
cooking. 1/4-1/2 cup Rosewater may be used as well,
depending on taste.
1 cup Sugar, or the equivalent in Artificial Sweetener
Note: Sugar type may be White, Brown, Date, Honey, or
Maple Syrup. Do not add Sugar until after cooking is
complete.
1 cup of optional additions, such as chopped Dried Fruit,
Toasted Nuts, or Raisins: stirred in at the end of cooking
Method:
Place the Rice, Spices if they are to be used, and
5 cups of the liquid in a heavy-bottomed, 3-quart Saucepan.
Set aside for 1 hour to soak.
Place the Saucepan over a medium flame, and stir
constantly until the mixture comes to a boil.
Lower the heat to Simmer, and keep stirring
constantly for 20 minutes, until the mixture is thick,
and the Rice completely cooked.
Remove from heat. Stir in chosen form of Sugar,
additions such as Fruit, Nuts, and/or Extracts. Add up to 1
cup of Liquid if a softer texture is desired. The pudding
will become thicker as it stands and cools.
Serve immediately, or store in the refrigerator for up
to three days. A nice thing to do is package this in
individual, disposable containers to carry for breakfast
or lunch on the go.
Copyright 2002 Eddy Robey
Eddy Robey M.A.
Like all Jewish mothers, I feed everyone in sight, and have been at
work in the
kitchen for over 20 years. Correspondence should be addressed to
eddyrobey@aol.com and will be
read as soon as the dishes are done. You can
find many of my recipes online at the Gantseh Megillah
. Please feel free
to forward this to anyone you think would enjoy it, as long as you
include my
copyright.
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