Sunday, July 27, 2008

Saffron Rice Pudding


It's been a blissful summer so far. Not only did we get to spend some memorable time with our family but Pratik and I were also able to complete several of the ever lingering things on the "to do" list. And it feels great to be back with more time to cook and blog!!

My parents and my in-laws visited us in Hershey during the months of May and June. We spent most of our time away, vacationing in Texas, California and Canada. I must say, it was a one-of-a-kind vacation, not only because we all had fun, but also because every single one of us was craving for this time together. And oh yes, these days were not just fun filled, but also calorie filled. Tons of tasty food cooked in "ghee" at home, greasy pizzas and creamy pastas while on vacation, topped with zero exercise. Yeah, I neither cared nor dared to stand on the weighing scale.

Besides all these good things happening this summer, I am now also working some flexible hours at work. I get to take off early on Fridays and that means more time to try new recipes on Friday afternoons. This creamy saffron rice pudding was an outcome of my first such Friday. It is nutty and creamy and above all it is original! The saffron gives this dessert a rich color and perfect taste. An exquisite recipe to leave an everlasting impression on your guests.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup long grained rice
2 cups of milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp saffron threads
1 tbs of milk for soaking the saffron threads
2-3 tbs raisins

Method:

1. Wash the rice with tap water and blanch in boiling water for two minutes. Drain all the water.
2. Add 1 cup of milk to the rice and bring it to a slow simmer. Add the sugar. Continue to add the remaining milk in small proportions just like while making a risotto. Stir the mixture to ensure that the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan. You can add more milk depending on the desired thickness of the pudding.
3. Warm 1 tbs of hot milk in the microwave and soak the saffron threads. Stir with a spoon until the milk turns to a bright yellow color.
4. Add this to the pudding. Add raisins and stir the pudding.
5. The rice pudding is ready when the grains of rice are cooked completely. I kept the rice very very slightly undercooked to give it a nutty texture.
6. Place the pudding in small ramekins or dessert bowls and bring it to a room temperature. Chill for two hours before serving.

Serve:

Serve chilled (preferably) with some more saffron threads and raisin topping.

Note: Basmati rice will make the most flavorful pudding. But if you want to keep the dollars low, any long grained rice would do just fine.

20 comments:

evolvingtastes said...

Goodness me, you make it sound so good, Poonam.

amna said...

that's a brilliant picture :)

Anonymous said...

Looks like you had lots of fun during your vacation:) I love this puddding. It's similar to what we call Firni in Azerbaijan. Yours looks lovely!

Shreya said...

looks yum! love the colour...

Jan said...

Thank you for leaving a comment on my blog - which has led me to yours. You have a great blog here I shall be back often!

maybelles mom said...

yum, i adore rice pudding/ kheer. recently i have been using sushi rice for a sticky kheer.

Laavanya said...

That does sound like a fabulous vacation and that pudding looks gorgeous.

Anonymous said...

oooh..this is one of my favorite indian desserts. It looks amazing :)

delhibelle said...

saffron rice pudding looks & sounds so very simple yet delicious!

Vaishali said...

How tempting that picture looks, Poonam. I make rice pudding with almond milk. I sometimes add a dash of vanilla extract to it because I find it further enhances the flavor.

Kumudha said...

The picture of the pudding is beautiful!

I often make rice pudding with soy milk or almond milk.

Dewi said...

Hi Poonam,
Thanks for visiting my site.
LOL, that's exactly what happen to us when we're on vacation. Pretend to be shock, watching your scale merciless showing off the numbers...

Love rice pudding, but never made it myself. It's embarrassing to admit that I always buy them at TJ's.

Vera said...

Poonam, your pudding looks so wonderfully creamy! Rice pudding is among my favorite desserts.

ams said...

great pic!
sorry i didnt read the recipe :D... i never liked rice pudding :)
but ya ... again, amazing pic! who took it? and what did u use to edit it?

Swati said...

You really made it sound really good.. Its nice to see you around Poonam..

Poonam said...

Thanks all! I am so happy to be back and glad that you liked the pudding.

Vaishali & Kumudha: I am going to try almond milk the next time I make this.

Thanks again!

Pooh said...

Great photography and a really good recipe. Thank ya!

Cynthia said...

That rice pudding is to die for!

S said...

Poonam, that is a beautiful photo- i adore rice pudding and like to read about how others prepare it. i also really liked your blueberry buttermilk panna cotta recipe. happy to have stumbled upon your blog. best wishes, shayma

My Chutney Garden said...

So glad I found you. What a great post, I will definitely try this.
Sharon