Introduction: 

Rice pudding has been a staple dessert in India for centuries, if not millennia.  Cows are native to India and the milk products they produce are an integral part of their cuisine.  Rice pudding, known as kheer or sweet rice, is served in a myriad of textures, from a pourable liquid to thick and creamy.  In Bengal, there is even a sweet risotto style.  The starch in the rice, butterfat in the milk and caramelizing of the sugar create the pudding consistency; eggs are never used.  Flavorings vary from exotic to fantastic.  Some of the more interesting combinations I experienced in rice puddings were cracked black pepper-camphor, saffron-kewra flower water, cardamom-clove and raisin and coconut-ginger.  Benares Rice Pudding was served at Inn Season Café as a wheat free and nondairy alternative to the cow’s milk base used in the traditional recipes. Almonds add a crunch and dairy-like creaminess when cooked.  Saffron, vanilla, clove, currants and cardamom meld together with cinnamon to create a well balanced and comforting flavor.

Ingredients: 

4 cups plain soy milk (or almond milk)

3/4 cup high-quality white Indian basmati rice, washed and drained three times

1/2 cup sliced raw almonds

1/4 teaspoon saffron threads

1 bay leaf

2 three inch cinnamon sticks

3 whole cloves

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1/2 vanilla bean, scraped)

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

2 tablespoons dried currants

3/4 cup evaporated cane juice

Cooking Instructions:

In a 2 quart saucepan on medium-high heat, bring soy milk to a boil while stirring frequently.  Add rice, almonds, saffron, bay leaf, cinnamon, cloves, vanilla, cardamom and currants.  Stir frequently until it starts to thicken, this may take up to 25 minutes.  Add cane juice and stir often until it becomes like a thick cream soup.  Serve warm or cold and dust with ground cinnamon.  May be refrigerated up to 5 days.

Note: For a thicker pudding, turn off the heat, cover and allow pudding to sit for 30 minutes before serving