or should I just call it Brown Rice Pudding?
When I was a little one, I remember lulling myself to sleep by listing off in my brain all of the things that I might like to find in heaven should I find myself there. I started off with important things like:
I’d like to find my little sister Lauren in heaven, but I don’t want to have to share my toys with her if I don’t want to.
I’d like to find my best friend Natalie in heaven because I love to play with her hair.
I’d like to find Grandmother, Granddaddy and Aunt DeeDee in heaven because they make the best hamburgers every Friday night .
And then this list would surely devolve into something that resembles my Christmas wish list:
I want an Easy Bake Oven in heaven…
I want a Barbie Dream House in heaven.
I want mechanical pencils in heaven… I had a serious thing for mechanical pencils. Still do.
Nowadays I’m barely awake enough to get my socks off before I’m zonked out on my pillow. I’d like to put this down on record now, if you’ll indulge me.
I want Rice Pudding in heaven. Rice pudding with raisins. Rice pudding with dried cherries. White rice. Brown rice. Any kind of rice cooked with milk and sugar. Please.
A few mechanical pencils might be nice too.
Awesome. Thanks.
It’s hearty. It’s warm. It’s creamy and sweet. It’s filling and it might just be the most comforting bowl of goodness I’ve ever encountered.
Note: When served cold, the brown rice has a bit of a bite to it. I like it cold as much as I do warm, but be warned that cold brown rice pudding will be just a tad more work for your jaw.
Brown Rice Rice Pudding
serves 4 to 6
4 cups water
1 cup brown rice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons butter
4 cups whole milk
2 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons honey
1/2 vanilla bean, split open (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract)
1 cinnamon stick
pinch of ground cardamom
1/2 cup dried sour cherries (or any dried fruit you fancy)
Rinse brown rice in a strainer under cold water for 30 seconds. Set aside.
Bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Stir in brown rice and salt. Turn flame down to medium and simmer rice, uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 30 minutes, drain rice and water. Let rice sit in strainer for 10 seconds and then return to the pot you cooked it in (not over a flame) and immediately put a tight fitting lid on the pot. Let rice rest and steam for 10 minutes.
Once rice is cooked, place it in a bowl and set aside. Add 4 cups of milk, sugar, honey, cinnamon stick, pinch of cardamom and vanilla bean to the pan. Bring to a very low boil, stirring often so the milk doesn’t burn. Add the cooked rice, butter and cherries to the hot milk. Stir often. Don’t ignore the milk or it might boil to furiously and curdle. Simmer until the milk cooks down and the rice is creamy, about 30 minutes. Place in a large bowl or serving dishes to cool. Serve cold or at room temperature.
Jen-
Oooh, tasty! Did this become breakfast too? I love “checking my work” the next morning and substituting breakfast. Mmmm.
Rebecca
My dad loves rice pudding, I have to try this out this weekend. I will let you know how it goes. Sounds like it will be yummy yummy goodness!
Frenchie
Joy, I knew I liked you the first time I read your blog. So I started browsing through and came across treats like pumpkin spice pancakes,honey whole wheat pound cake, and now THIS. You might not know this about me (since you don’t know anything about me) but rice pudding is my absolute favorite. Variations of classic rice pudding only make me happier, but the thing I give you the most credit for is your choice of cranberries rather than raisins. If I didn’t have three papers to write today, I would be making it right this second.
joythebaker
would i still get that same awesome credit if i told you those were dried cherries and not cranberries?
Lynda
Oh yum! I love rice pudding & this recipe sounds healthy and delish – a great combination in my book :) Can’t wait to try this recipe!!
Greg
Mmmmm, rice pudding is one of my favorites (tapioca being another), and I love brown rice. The combo is great and not QUITE as bad for you as using plain white rice :)
joythebaker
yes! and using lowfat milk would be even closer to healthy!
Phoo-D
This sounds terrific for a cold winter morning breakfast. I always like eating brown rice but what a great idea to use it for rice pudding!
S
Am curious at the use of salt while cooking the rice? Will it not curdle with the use of milk?
In traditional Indian varieties of sweet, rice preparations =’payasams’/’kheer’ rice is cooked without salt, then added to the recipes involving milk, jaggery, coconut milk etc.
Thanks!
joythebaker
salt will not curdle the milk. in this recipe i used salt in the water i used to boil the rice. the salt help the flavor the rice a bit. that water is drained and then the cooked (and salted) rice is added to the warmed and seasoned milk.
When Pigs Fly
Yum. And, I love brown rice. Will have to try this. I like the idea of making a bunch and putting it in different containers for microwaving each morning.
Jen @ MaplenCornbread
Joy this is so incredible!!! I love rice pudding and making it with whole grain rice and the cranberries for this season is such an awesome idea!!
Liz Brooks
Looks delish! I love mechanical pencils too, and also medium point felt tips. Just love that smooth line-I’m a dork!
Estela @ Weekly Bite
Rice pudding is my all time favorite!
liz
What kind of rice would you use for this? I think I’ve seen brown basmati and brown risotto rice, but not brown short grain (pudding) rice. I’ve got a multigrain risotto mix though – white arborio, spelt and barley – would that work?
joythebaker
hmmm.. lots of different fancy brown rices? i just used a whole grain brown rice. does that make sense?
Jessica @ How Sweet It Is
Brown rice makes it healthy! :)
Alicia
mmmm that looks delicious – I am a definite fan of rice pudding.
Jade @ No Longer 25
I made rice pudding recently and divided it up into little tupperware pots to have for breakfasts – I just zap them in the microwave and eat them on the way to work – perfect for a cold, frosty morning!
I was saying to my boyfriend, I wonder if this would work with brown rice? I used semi-skimmed milk and a little less sugar to make it healthier than the dessert version in which I use cream – but brown rice would be more healthy – even better excuse to eat rice pudding for breakfast!
Thanks – I’ll have to try this soon.
Jade