Each culture has its own form of rice pudding. This version is based on Indian rice pudding known as kheer and is made with basmati rice. Kheer is usually made with cow’s milk but I have replaced cow's milk with cashew milk for a dairy free version.
Ingredients
1 cup pre-soaked cashews
3 tbsp washed basmati rice
1-2 tsp vanilla extract
Raw honey, maple syrup, date syrup or unrefined sugar (Rapadura, ghur, jaggery) to taste
(Optional) 1 cinnamon stick
(Optional) 1-2 cardamom pods
(Optional) 1 tsp orange blossom or rose water
Method
- Blend the pre-soaked cashews with 1 cup of warm-hot water (not boiling) until it is a smooth consistency
- Line a sieve with a muslin cloth and place a bowl beneath it
- Pour the cashew mixture through the lined sieve.
- Gather up the muslin cloth so that the cashew pulp is contained within the cloth. Squeeze the cashew pulp to release milk. The cashew pulp may be saved for adding into smoothies, pancakes, breads or curries
- Place cashew milk into a measuring jug and add enough water to make it up to 500 ml (1 pint)
- Pour the cashew milk into a suitable pan
- Add cinnamon stick, cardamom if using to the milk & gently bring to the boil.
- Add washed basmati rice to the cashew milk
- Turn down heat & simmer. Stir often to avoid milk and rice sticking to the pan
- Continue simmering until the milk has reduced, the rice is cooked & the pudding has thickened
- With a hand blender, lightly blend the pudding to break up the rice but do not over blend.
- If pudding is too thick add some more water
- Turn off heat & stir in unrefined sugar, maple syrup, date syrup or honey to taste.
- Add vanilla extract and rose or orange blossom water
- Check taste & adjust if necessary
- Pour pudding into a suitable dish and chill
- Serve pudding garnished with some chopped pre-soaked nuts or a fresh fruit sauce
