coconut and cardamom rice pudding
I've just made this and it is truly delicious so I'm writing down what I did before I forget. Undoubtedly next time I make it I'll change a few things, but it's good to have the original recipe to start from.
Ingredients:
150g short grain rice
400ml coconut milk topped up to 1l with water
2 dessertspoons sugar or honey
a dozen cardamom pods
2 allspice pods
zest of 1 lemon
zest of 1 orange
Method:
Add the rice and water to a heavy-bottomed saucepan and put on a fairly low heat. While it's warming up prepare all the other ingredients and add them to the pan.
For the lemon and orange zest I used a potato peeler and shaved off large ribbons of zest.
Add all the other ingredients and stir occasionally until the milk starts to simmer. Cook it very slowly so that the flavours have time to infuse. It took about half an hour for mine to be fully cooked.
Remove as many pieces of spice and fruit peel as you can before serving. (You could make a little bouquet garni with some muslin and thread if you're serving this for guests. Or spit out the cardamom as you find it if you it's just you. Your choice.)
Decorate with toasted pistachios or almonds to serve.
Options:
I'd say use less cardamom if you have very fresh pods. I used a lot to get the flavour I wanted, but possibly because they weren't great quality. Instead of allspice you could use star anise or nutmeg or cloves.
This would also be nice with some ginger grated in, or add a large chunk which you can pick out before serving.
I'll definitely try it with some rosewater next time.
A few dates would work to both sweeten and give texture to the pudding.
