Strawberry Rice Pudding — ultimate comfort food

A few weeks into the New Year, with winter still lingering, who can resist rice pudding? Not me! 

Frankly, rice pudding (kheer, firni or payasam) ranks high on my list of comfort food. Its delicious creamy texture is a total seller—be it winter, spring or summer. There’s no special time to eat too.

Rice puddings are really easy to cook and can be made with any flavoring to suit your taste: cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, vanilla, rose water, and more. The key for a creamy pudding is to use short grain rice high in starch. Arborio, carnarioli, pearl, valencia are all good for this purpose. In Kerala, unnakkalari is used for making rice payasam. I used a pack of pudding rice from the Marks & Spenser.

This delectable pud is everything a cozy dessert should be. Loaded with the fresh fragrance of orange blossom water, a hint of aromatic cardamom, and served with strawberries for an elegant look and delicious taste. It is wonderful warm or chilled — the ultimate comfort food. 

Whole milk can be substituted with low fat, for a healthier version. Also try going for rose water instead of orange blossom water, if you like. I’m a big fan of puddings served in cozy glasses, you can serve it a bowl, ramekin or even in a plate—whatever you fancy.

A spoonful of this cardamom-spiced, delicate floral infused, creamy pudding will leave you craving for more!

Strawberry Rice Pudding — ultimate comfort food

Ingredients

Serves 2

Prep + cooking: 1 hr 10 mins

For the pudding

1/3 cup pudding rice (Arborio or any short grain rice)

2 ½ cups whole milk

¼ cup sugar

3 teaspoon orange blossom water

6 cardamom pods, cracked

For topping

1 cup strawberries, hulled and diced

Directions

Bring milk and rice to a gentle boil in a heavy bottomed saucepan over medium-high heat. Reduce heat, then stir in sugar, cardamom pods, and orange blossom water. Simmer, uncovered, for 40-50 minutes, or until rice is cooked and the mixture is thick and creamy. Stir frequently while the rice is cooking to prevent scorching, which will add a burnt flavor to pudding, and also to prevent a skin from forming. Once the rice is cooked, remove and discard cardamoms pods.

At this point, for a chilled pudding, scrape the pudding into a bowl, place a plastic wrap directly on the surface and cool slightly. Cover, and refrigerate until well chilled, overnight or up to 2 days ahead. Note that the pudding will thicken as it cools. Add more milk, if desired.

When ready to serve, spoon into parfait glasses, ramekins or cappuccino cups. Top with diced strawberries or strawberry compote—you decide.

Strawberry Compote

Ingredients

1 cup strawberries, hulled and diced

1 tablespoon sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla essence

pinch of cinnamon powder

1 ½ teaspoon unsalted pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped

Directions

To make the compote, heat the strawberries, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and 2 tablespoon water in a saucepan and simmer for 2-3 minutes. Allow to cool. Spoon over the pudding just before serving. Sprinkle with unsalted chopped pistachio nuts, if desired.