Old Fashioned Rice Pudding

[nameless]

Made this again tonight and thought, "Hey - that's egg free! I'll post!" B/c it really is good old fashioned rice pudding!

This type of rice pudding recipe is the "dry" kind. After being refrigerated it is quite solid, though still soft to the bite and creamy. It's not like store bought rice pudding that is more like a full on vanilla pudding with some rice in it.

The awesomeness comes from the rice soaking up the milk, as opposed to precooked rice getting added to a pudding base. Then the rice goo helps solidify the pudding.

Preheat oven to 325F and butter (or Pam) a baking dish that has a good cover.

In a medium pot on medium heat:
3 1/2 cups skim milk
1/2 cup basmati rice
1/3 cup white sugar
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
add cinnamon/nutmeg to taste

Bring everything to a full boil on medium heat. Took mine about 20 minutes to do so.  You want to use a nice solid heavy saucepan, non-stick or enameled cast iron. If you have a lighter pot you'll have to really keep stirring and it becomes a pain. Heavier pot and you can walk away for a few minutes up until it really boils. Let it full on rolling boil.

Pour mixture into baking dish, cover, and bake for 30 minutes stirring halfway through. COVER - seriously, cover it or it will dry out before the rice is cooked. As it cooks it should be bubbling away. From this point on you just have to wing it. If the rice is cooked, but it's really dry looking add some hot milk in. Stir, evaluate. Sometimes my rice will cook quick and there is a lot of liquid that hasn't thickened. In that case I'll take the cover off and check every 5 minutes. It shouldn't be dry as a bone and it shouldn't be soupy. When it cools the liquid gets creamy.

You can add raisins at any point if you like from the baking step onward.

Take out of oven, stir, and then plop in 1/2 TB unsalted butter til all melted and incorporated. The butter isn't necessary but it's yummeh.

Dump into a glass container with a tight fitting lid, but let cool uncovered on the counter for an hour. Place paper towel over container top, then fit with container lid. The paper towel will catch all the condensation water (my #1 pet peeve with cooling puddings!)

Refrigerate or eat warm. Top with berries or cinnamon or maple syrup.

[GoingNuts]

Stop posting things I want to eat. 

Seriously, looks delish.  I love a good rice pudding!

[nameless]

Stop posting things I want to eat. 

Seriously, looks delish.  I love a good rice pudding!

It's actually quite a healthy recipe One could even sweeten with honey. Basmati rice is low glycemic index and is good for you.

Adrienne

[GoingNuts]

I use Basmati almost exclusively now.  I love the flavor.

[nameless]

I use Basmati almost exclusively now.  I love the flavor.

makes a real nice rice pudding that has a deeper flavor --- I use it for breakfast with blueberries or strawberries on top in the summer time.

[paparenttoo]

Boy, does this look good! I will have to try it tomorrow and I just may put some raisins in too!

[YouKnowWho]

DH is not a fan of rice so I have had a lot leftover in the last few years.  I take the cooked rice, add milk, cinnamon, raisins and a smidge of sugar and cook on the stovetop.  Rice always disappears this way LOL