If you’ve been out to dinner in New York City recently, you’ve probably seen rice pudding on the dessert menu. As someone who grew up eating kheer (Hindi/Urdu for rice pudding) regularly, I love that it’s finally having its moment. What I love even more is that, unlike the typical summertime go-to, ice cream, this is much easier to make (no special equipment required) and just as fun to experiment with when it comes to toppings and flavors.
This was partially inspired by both Thai Mango Sticky Rice (I started developing this recipe in peak mango season), and Mkate Wa Sinia, a Swahili cake made with rice, coconut milk, and cardamom.
I like to approach rice pudding like one would a sundae—aligning the toppings and seasonings with the time of year and my mood. For a simple finish, I like olive oil and sea salt. But, chopped nuts, fresh or dried fruit, and melted chocolate also work well. As far as actually seasoning the rice pudding, I chose vanilla and cardamom for their warm, floral flavors, but ground cinnamon, saffron, ginger, or even citrus zest stirred in before serving would be delicious. Coconut is one of those nutty, floral flavors that’s strong but plays well with others. I like using jasmine rice to further punctuate that floral, fragrant quality.
Before we get into the recipe, a quick note: I hope to keep this newsletter free for as long as possible, so it would mean so much to me if you supported my work by ordering my cookbook, Third Culture Cooking, which features 100+ flavorful recipes that reflect my third culture perspective. Find signed copies here.
4-6 SERVINGS | 35 MINUTES + CHILLING
INGREDIENTS
4 cups very hot water
10 whole green cardamom pods*
¾ cups (150g) jasmine rice, rinsed
½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
⅓ - ¾ cups granulated sugar, depending on your preference
1, 14 oz. can organic unsweetened coconut milk
Flaky salt, olive oil, crushed nuts, fresh/dried fruit, or melted chocolate, for serving
*Instead of…
Whole green cardamom pods, use ground cardamom
METHOD
Add four cups of very hot water to a small pot over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil.
Meanwhile, if using whole cardamom, crush the pods in a mortar and pestle to reveal the black seeds. Remove the green pods and discard. Crush the remaining seeds until a coarse powder forms.
Once boiling, add the rinsed rice, kosher salt, vanilla extract, and crushed cardamom. Stir to ensure the rice doesn’t cake. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and cook until the rice is tender and all the water has evaporated, about 25-30 minutes. Remove from heat, and, using a wooden spoon, stir vigorously to break up the grains of rice, about 1 minute. If you prefer a smoother rice pudding, continue to stir until the rice appears paste-like. It’s easier to manage the texture of the rice before the liquid gets introduced.
Add the sugar and coconut milk and stir to combine.
You can serve the rice pudding warm at this stage or transfer it to an airtight container to chill in the refrigerator until cold, at least 6 hours or up to overnight.
Rice pudding can be made 24 hours in advance, and stored in an airtight container for up to 48 hours. The texture’s quality will decline thereafter.
Why stir rice using a wooden spoon?
How much ground cardamom to use if using powder?