Turkish Rice Pudding / Sütlaç

Turkish Rice Pudding / Sütlaç

125ml uncooked rice
500ml water
1 litre + 125ml milk
250ml sugar
grated zest of 1 lemon
37,5ml cornstarch
50g pistachios nuts, finely ground

Preheat your oven to 200℃ and place 6 ramekins in an oven tray that is at least 7cm deep.
Add the rice and water to a saucepan and cook over medium heat until tender – the rice should be creamy and not dry.
Pour in the 1 litre milk and add the sugar.
Stir, bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a slow simmer.
Cook for 10 minutes.
Add the lemon zest and stir through.
Add the cornstarch to a small bowl and pour in the 125ml milk. Whisk together to make a slurry.
Now drizzle the slurry into the simmering rice mixture while stirring the whole time.
Keep stirring and allow the mixture to become thick – about 10-15 minutes.
Spoon the mixture into the ramekins and fill the oven tray with enough warm water to come halfway up the side of the ramekins.
Place the oven tray on the top shelf of your oven and bake for about 30 minutes, until golden brown on top. WATCH THE PUDDINGS AND REMOVE THEM FROM THE OVEN WHEN YOU ARE HAPPY WITH THE COLOUR – THEY BURN EASILY!
Take the ramekins from the tray, allow them to cool and then refrigerate them for 1 hour.
Sprinkle the ground pistachio over the rice puddings and serve.

Greek Rice Pudding/Rizogalo

Greek Rice Pudding/Rizogalo

150g risotto rice
30ml cornflour
600ml milk
zest of 1 lemon
75g sugar
2 egg yolks

Add the rice to a saucepan and pour in 300ml water.
Set the saucepan over a low heat and cook the rice for 10 minutes, until most of the water has been absorbed.
Add the cornflour to a small bowl and pour about 45ml of milk into it. Stir to dissolve and set aside.
Pour the rest of the milk into the saucepan with the rice, add the lemon zest and simmer on low heat for 20 minutes, stirring often.
Add the cornflour-slurry and the sugar and simmer for 3 minutes more.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and cool for about 10 minutes.
Add the egg yolks and mix through.
Serve the rice pudding slightly warm.

Middle-Eastern Rice Pudding

Middle-Eastern Rice Pudding

This is fragrant dessert with rose water and honey and is based on the traditional Roz bel Laban. The recipe provides 6 generous portions depending on the size of the glasses or bowls it is served in.

500ml milk
250ml cream
2 cinnamon quills
6 cloves
1,2ml ground cardamon
250ml rice
30ml sugar
500ml water
83ml condensed milk
30ml butter
30ml rose water
honey and pistachio nuts to serve

Add the milk, cream, cinnamon, cloves and cardamon to a saucepan.
Turn the heat on medium and wait for the mixture to come to the boil.
Turn the heat down so that the mixture simmers and add the rice, sugar and water.
Allow the mixture to simmer until the rice is cooked, stirring continuously. This will take 30 – 40 minutes. Do not leave the mixture – keep an eye on it!
Take the saucepan from the heat and add the condensed milk, rose water and butter. Stir thoroughly.
Spoon the rice pudding into glasses or serving bowls.
Drizzle each dessert with honey and a sprinkling of pistachio nuts.
The rice pudding is best served warm.