Rice Pudding

[lmarshal1]

I saw a couple of cooking shows this past week that made rice pudding. What is the best rice to use? And the best flavorings? lkm

[Milagai]

I saw a couple of cooking shows this past week that made rice pudding.  What is the best rice to use?  And the best flavorings?  lkm

←

I would imagine some variety that is medium grain and not

too fluffy (i.e. that would stick together more than, say, basmati).

my favorite flavor is what goes into kheer:

cardamom, a pinch of saffron and a teeny smidgen of

edible camphor.

milagai

[emsny]

You can use whatever you'd use for risotto: arborio, carnaroli, vialone nano . . . . These make a creamy pudding and won't get hard when chilled (important for those moments when you can't resist eating the pudding right out of the fridge).

[MGLloyd]

My favorite rice to use is the arborio rice sold in a box at Trader Joe's.

[Luckylies]

arborio is great.

[lmarshal1]

Thanks, all, for the suggestions. MGLloyd: I had shopped in a Trader Joe's in the Washington, DC, area and had heard there was one in the Indianapolis area (45 minutes from where I live), but I just figured out where the store actually is the other night when we happened to pass it on the way to dinner. A "field trip" is in order. emsny: Thanks for the "tender rice" suggestion. I can identify with the notion of eating right out of the fridge! lkm

Edited May 22, 2005 by lmarshal1 (log)

[andiesenji]

You also might consider "Calrose" medium grain rice. It is not expensive and makes an excellent rice pudding. It is more glutinous than many rices.

This site tells about the different types of rice, "Calrose" is sold under different brand names but is known as California medium grain rice. I believe that 80% of the world production is grown in the Sacramento valley, according to CalAg News.

I often use a combination of Calrose and sweet rice.

This is an unusual recipe

I have made it a few times and everyone to whom I have served it has said that it is exceptional, both in flavor and presentation.

OT: This site (Australia) has some interesting pictures of rice sculptures.

Edited May 22, 2005 by andiesenji (log)

[lmarshal1]

andiesenji: Thanks for including the interesting sites. Calrose rice is available locally. I'll try some. Last fall on a trip to Maine I was as sick as a dog with a 24-hour stomach bug. The first thing I ate after that was a lovely bowl of rice pudding with real whipped cream. Heavenly to a tender tummy. lkm

[lmarshal1]

Would it be possible to use coconut milk as part or all of the liquid for rice pudding? Does anyone have a recipe for such a thing? lkm

[Megan Blocker]

Definitely arborio - keeps like a dream, doesn't get hard when it cools down...

[Sandra Levine]

Coconut milk can substituted for the liquid in rice pudding, or you can simply steam the rice and add coconut milk with some sugar dissolved in it, spoonful by spoonful, until the desired level of creaminess and sweetness has been reached, a la Jean-Georges Vongrichten.

[lmarshal1]

Sandra: I will definitely try the coconut milk method you suggested...and look up Jean-Georges

Vongrichten.

Megan: Aaaaargh! I was just at Trader Joe's yesterday and meant to pick up arborio rice and forgot. I did get some brown Jasmine rice for other purposes though. lkm