Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Chai-Spiced Rice Pudding

I wasn't a huge fan of rice pudding until I started working at a restaurant where the recipe was an old greek family one. After that, I sort of got hooked on it, and it's the perfect comfort food, whether hot or cold.
Chai has gained much popularity here in the United States over the past few years. However, living in Kenya for a few years when I was younger, chai was served everyday, almost everywhere you went. The combination of cinnamon, cardamom, and allspice make a great warming combination, and combined with the creaminess of the rice pudding, it makes a gorgeous comfort food.

Chai Rice Pudding

Chai-spiced Rice Pudding
5 c soymilk or almond milk
1 c medium grain rice
2/3 c sugar
1/3 tsp salt
1/8 c crystallized ginger, finely diced
3/4 tsp cinnamon
a very scant 1/2 tsp cardamom
1/2 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp nutmeg

Bring milk, rice, sugar, and salt to a boil over high heat. Lower heat to medium low, and simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, until rice is tender. *Do not cook all of the moisture out. Pudding will thicken up as it sits. Remove from heat and stir in spices.
Serve warm or cold.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Fiber: I'm a HUGE rice pudding fan, in all its forms. Have you ever tried the Indian version of rice pudding? Its spice mixture is so interesting, I bet you'd like it. I'm dying to give this a try... as I'm a big fan of Chai! - Mark

Anonymous said...

What a great blog.
And this rice pudding recipe looks delicious!!!

Cheers,
Raida

Anonymous said...

Oooh, my two favorite comforts, chai and rice pudding. Equally exciting is that you've already made it nondairy so I don't have to play around with conversions!

Special Sauce said...

F- where do you find Almond milk around here? I've peeked around, but haven't seen it with the other soymilks (shelf stable and refrigerated)- are you getting it at Rhubarbs?

Fiber said...

Mark - I'm sure somewhere, at some point, I've tried the Indian version, but it's been awhile. I'll have to give it another go.

Nicolew & Raida - thanks for the lovely compliments!

Hippy Nursey - thanks! I prefer soymilk anyway, even though I'm not a super-strict vegetarian.

Sauce - I get it at Rhub's. Of course, the Manor Weis has it too.

Erin Eats said...

Oh, MAN, this looks so so so so good, my mouth actually started watering. I really love your blog.

Anonymous said...

hell yeah. two of my favorite things, rice pudding and chai? you just made my day :)

Anonymous said...

wow i'm so glad i stumbled upon this recipe--two of my favorite treats together at last!