Cardamon and Rose Rice Pudding

This is a simple yet delightful little dessert, it‘s so versatile you add so many different spices and serve it with any fruits, baked, fresh, or stewed. You can stir chocolate through it, fruit puree, or just with a dollop of jam. It can be served chilled, but if you do you need to add an extra cup or so of milk once its cooked otherwise it will just solidify once chilled. Here I have used cardamom and rose and vanilla to flavour the pudding and served it with festive pomegranate and pistachios. But really any fruits would work. I like a little crunch with mine, but again any nuts would work.

SERVES:
04-06

Ingredients
Instructions

Ingredients

200g pudding rice (you can sub for risotto rice but I have not tried)

400ml full fat coconut milk

2-400ml extra milk either coconut or any nut milk.

¼-1/2 cup rice syrup/maple or sweetener of choice

6 cardamom pods bashed to open

Half a vanilla pod split

1-2 tbsp. rose water (depending on strength)

Handful pistachio nuts

1 cup pomegranate seeds

Dried rose buds (optional)

Instructions

Place the coconut milk into a pan with the rice syrup, cardamom pods and split vanilla pod, bring to a boil and reduce the heat to a low simmer. How much rice syrup you add depends on taste I like about ¾ cup, some of you may like it a little sweeter.
Add the rice and stir, cover with a lid stirring frequently.
It should take about 15-20 minutes to cook, keep tasting it towards the end for the right consistency. I like a little bite to mine.
Remove from the heat once cooked and allow to cool slightly.
Stir through the rose water, how much you add depends on how much you like rose and how strong the water is, they vary greatly. I would start with 1 tsp and work your way up, tasting as you go.
You can remove the pods, the seeds will have escaped, and that‘s fine. Also remove the vanilla.
If you find the rice pudding is thickening too much as cools, add in extra milk tom loosen before serving.
Serve in little glasses, adored with the pomegranate seeds, pistachio nuts and if using, come dried rose petals.