Gladys Soriano is the recipe developer, meals stylist, and meals photographer behind the Mediterranean-inspired weblog Forks and Foliage. Right here, she’s sharing genuine Lebanese dishes and recipes impressed by her love for Mediterranean flavors (initially revealed on Forks and Foliage). Take it away, Gladys!
This Lebanese rice pudding or riz bi haleeb is a scrumptious, floral model of rice pudding. This conventional recipe was handed all the way down to me by mother, and it actually is one of the best I’ve ever had!
In Arabic, riz bi haleeb interprets to rice in milk. Fairly self-explanatory, proper? Lebanese rice pudding begins with cooking rice in milk, then flavoring it with mastic, rose water, and orange blossom water. The result’s actually dreamy. My mother’s recipe requires heavy cream, which makes the rice pudding further creamy and wealthy. She additionally doesn’t use any cornstarch as most recipes do, however as an alternative depends on the pure starches within the rice to thicken it completely. I do not make riz bi haleeb some other approach now!
What I like about Lebanese rice pudding is how versatile it’s. It isn’t too candy and makes for a scrumptious breakfast or snack. However it’s candy sufficient to be a lightweight dessert!
Lebanese Rice Pudding Components
Directions
1. To begin, rinse the rice only one time. The important thing to creating Lebanese rice pudding with out cornstarch is to not rinse the rice an excessive amount of otherwise you’ll lose a variety of its thickening starch.
2. Add the rinsed rice, water, milk, and heavy cream to a big sauce pan and place over medium warmth. Stir often till the combination begins to boil, about 10 minutes.
3. Cut back the warmth to a simmer, and stir each couple of minutes to forestall sticking, till the rice has overvalued and might be mashed with a spoon or between your fingers, about quarter-hour.
4. As soon as the rice is cooked, add the sugar and proceed stirring till the rice pudding has thickened, about 20 to 25 minutes. You may take a look at it by leaving a plate within the freezer whereas making it, then spoon some pudding on the chilly plate and tilt it. If the pudding runs a bit of bit then stops in its tracks, it is accomplished. If it retains operating even after it has cooled on the plate, it wants extra time to thicken.
5. When the rice pudding has thickened, flip off the warmth and add the bottom mastic, rose water, and orange blossom water and stir to mix. If utilizing entire mastic, place them in a mortar with a pinch of salt and grind them with the pestle right into a superb powder. You don’t need any chunks of mastic within the pudding as they are often bitter and overpowering in a single chunk.
How To Serve Lebanese Rice Pudding (Riz Bi Haleeb)
Whereas the rice pudding continues to be heat, switch it into little bowls or ramekins for particular person servings. Alternatively, you may switch it to at least one serving bowl. Allow them to cool to room temperature, then cowl them and place them within the fridge till totally set and chilled.
Nobody will decide you if you happen to eat half of it whereas it is nonetheless heat. I could or might not be talking from private expertise.
As soon as you might be able to serve the Lebanese rice pudding, prime them with crushed pistachios for a scrumptious, nutty crunch. If you wish to elevate it even additional, dried rose petals are a dreamy garnish for riz bi haleeb.
Suggestions On Making The Greatest Lebanese Rice Pudding
- Do not rinse the rice greater than as soon as. We wish to save its starches to make the pudding thick and creamy.
- Use entire milk. For the creamiest rice pudding, use entire milk as an alternative of skim or low-fat. (Should you’re vegan and/or dairy-free, substitute the milk and heavy cream for a plant-based milk you get pleasure from as an alternative.)
- Skip recipes that decision for cornstarch. Rice is already loaded with starch – there’s completely no want so as to add one other kind of starch.
- Be affected person. Not utilizing cornstarch means it can take a bit of longer for the pudding to thicken. However it’s so price it! The rice will take up the milk and cream slowly whereas thickening the combination into an ideal consistency and a way more flavorful rice pudding.
- Stir often. You don’t need the underside to stay and burn. Keep close by and provides it a stir and scrape the underside each couple of minutes.
- Do not skip the mastic, rose water, and orange blossom water. Except it’s inconceivable so that you can entry them, I might extremely advise you in opposition to omitting them as they add such a scrumptious, delicate taste to the rice pudding. It is not likely Lebanese rice pudding with out them. Should you should omit one thing, I might say omit the mastic. However I say that with hesitation and a heavy coronary heart.
Steadily Requested Questions
What kind of rice is greatest for rice pudding?
I’ve discovered that medium grain rice ends in one of the best rice pudding. You may experiment with differing kinds and see what you like. Quick grain rice is starchier so it can yield a mushier pudding. Lengthy grain rice is much less starchy so it is rather less creamy and the rice is firmer.
Ought to I wash my rice when making rice pudding?
No matter what you make, you must all the time all the time wash your rice. Within the case of rice pudding, rinse the rice simply as soon as to scrub off any mud and particles. However do not rinse it extra, as we want all of the starch doable.
Why is my rice pudding so runny/thick?
A runny rice pudding means you have not cooked it lengthy sufficient. Proceed cooking and it’ll thicken, I promise. If the pudding is simply too thick, you cooked it too lengthy. Keep in mind, rice pudding thickens fairly a bit because it cools. It ought to nonetheless be a pourable consistence when it is accomplished. If it is too thick, place it over medium-low warmth and add milk and stir till it thins out a bit.
Can I make rice pudding with cooked rice?
Sure, you need to use leftover rice to make rice pudding however it won’t be the identical consistency. Place the cooked rice in a pot and add sufficient milk and cream to cowl it and cook dinner, stirring typically. Observe the remainder of the recipe as is, adjusting the quantities in response to how a lot cooked rice you are utilizing.
How lengthy will rice pudding hold?
Retailer the Lebanese rice pudding lined within the fridge for as much as one week.
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