Rice Pudding Recipes

Rice pudding is considered holy food among the Hindus, since milk, clarified butter, and rice are pure foods in Hindu religion. The rice pudding made among Hindus is called Kheer, or Payash, or Payasam. However, the one made in Denmark or the United States is not too different from this. Call it the universal brotherhood of rice and milk, or just great taste. Following are the recipes:

Ingredients

• Rice, (short grained) 100 grams
• Milk, 33.1 oz.
• Vanilla Pod, ½
• Double Cream, 12.6 oz.
• Sugar, 3 tbsp.
• Almonds, (chopped and blanched) 100 grams
• Almond Flakes, (roasted, for decoration)

Method
Boil the rice and milk together with vanilla pod. Then lower the heat, and let it simmer for at least 45 minutes till the milk is thickened and the rice is soft. Then remove from fire, take the vanilla pod out of the mixture and let it cool slightly. Add sugar and stir well to dissolve. Also, stir in the chopped almonds. When it is cool, add the double cream and mix well again. Decorate it with roasted almond flakes, and chill before serving.

Traditionally, in Denmark, it is made with a single almond. When it is served, the person who finds the almond in his/her portion gets the "almond prize", which is a pig made up of marzipan.

Ingredients

• Rice, (short-grained, soaked) 1 cup
• Full Cream Milk, 33.8 oz.
• Milk, 4 tbsp.
• Jaggery/Sugar, 100 grams
• Cashew Nuts, 1 tsp.
• Raisins, 1 tsp.
• Almonds, 1 tsp. (split into two)
• Cardamom, 2
• Ghee, (clarified butter) 2 tbsp.
• Saffron Strands, 3
• Pistachio Flakes for decorating

Method
Bring the milk and rice to a boil. Add the cardamom seeds to the milk and simmer till milk is thickened and the rice is cooked. In the meantime, heat the ghee in a small pan, and slightly roast the cashew nuts, almonds, and raisins. When the milk is sufficiently thickened, add the dried fruits, and if you are using sugar, add it and stir well. Now, remove from fire.

If jaggery is being used, it needs to be added only when the kheer cools down slightly, or else the milk will split. For that, warm three tablespoons of milk separately. Stir in the jaggery till it dissolves well. Add this mixture to the pudding and mix well. In another tablespoon of warm milk, add the saffron, and let it stand till its color dissolves, making the milk warm yellow in color. Add this milk with the saffron strands to the kheer mixture and mix well. Cool it down completely, decorate with pistachios, and serve.

Ingredients
For this tasty and healthy alternative, you need:

• Rice, (short-grained) ¾ cup
• Skimmed Milk, 4 cups
• Cinnamon Stick, 1
• Mixed Dried Fruits (figs, currants, prunes, apricots, nuts...), 1 cup
• Orange Juice, ¾ cup
• Sugar, 4 tbsp.
• Lemon Rind, 2 tbsp. (grated)

Method
Boil the milk, rice, and cinnamon stick together. Then lower the heat and let them cook till the milk is evaporated, and there is no liquid in the pan. Remove from heat and take out the cinnamon stick. In another pan, put the orange juice and dried fruits and bring to a boil. Simmer gently for about an hour till all the liquid evaporates and the dried fruits are tender. Remove from fire and cool. When the milk and rice are slightly cooled, add sugar and the lemon rind to it. Cool it down completely.

Oil a 1.5 liter mold and tip the fruit into this. Flatten with a knife, then spoon over the rice pudding on the top. Again flatten completely. Set into the refrigerator till it is to be served. Unmold it, so that the fruit layer is at the top. Then cut out solid slices. It is a pretty sight, with a white base and a fruity topping.