Brown Rice Pudding With Coconut, Ginger and Warm Spices

Recipe Difficulty: Easy

Recipe Tags:

• Brown Rice Pudding
• Rice Pudding with Coconut Milk
  
• Vegan Rice Pudding
  
• Breakfast, Dessert

History of Rice Pudding
Rice pudding is a traditional dessert that has been enjoyed for centuries in many cultures around the world. The earliest known versions of rice pudding date back to ancient Greece and Rome, where it was often served as a sweet porridge made with barley or wheat. In medieval Europe, rice pudding was a popular dish among the upper classes, and was often flavored with spices, fruits, and sweeteners like honey or sugar.
In the Middle East and Asia, rice pudding has been a staple dessert for centuries, and is often made with aromatic spices like cardamom, cinnamon, and saffron. In India, a sweet dish called kheer is made with rice, milk, and sugar and is very popular in Hindu and Muslim communities.
Rice pudding continues to be a beloved dessert around the world, with variations and regional specialties found in many different countries.

My Brown Rice Pudding Recipe Notes
Brown Basmati Rice, coconut milk and warm spices combine for an irresistible breakfast or dessert treat. Creamy, aromatic, and slightly sweet, this rice pudding is perfect comfort food on a cold winter morning. Apparently some people eat rice pudding at room temperature but that isn't for me. I want it served hot. And with the coconut milk and spices happening I want to top this with tropical fruit. Mango, banana, kiwi, pineapple. Garnish with something crunchy say coconut chips or almonds? Breakfast heaven. Or let's be honest this could be a dessert...but it's vegan! With fruit! And brown rice!!! So let's call it breakfast. I have read different methods for making rice pudding. Some tell you to start with cooked rice and go from there, others said to cook the rice in water first then add the coconut milk etc. I just threw it all in a pot and went from there. It was easy and it worked perfectly.  

Full fat vs lite Coconut Milk
Lite coconut milk and full-fat coconut milk are both made from the meat of coconuts, but they are processed differently. Lite coconut milk has less fat content than full-fat coconut milk. It is made by mixing water with coconut cream to create a thinner consistency, while full-fat coconut milk is made by using less water and creating a thicker, creamier consistency. Lite coconut milk is often used in recipes where a lighter consistency is desired, while full-fat coconut milk is used in recipes where a rich, creamy texture is desired. There-in is my dilemma when I go to make this recipe. Healthier Trisha chooses lite coconut milk and that is what I use most of the time. Chef Trisha chooses full fat coconut milk if making this for a treat, or guests, or for serving in a restaurant. Full fat definitely gives the best flavour and creamiest texture, lite is still tasty and serves my purposes for breakfast during the work week. 

Cardamom pods vs Ground Cardamom
Cardamom pods and ground cardamom are both made from the seeds of the cardamom plant, but they are used in different ways in cooking and baking.
Cardamom pods are the whole seed pods of the cardamom plant, they have a strong, unique aroma and flavor that can be released by crushing or grinding the seeds. They are often used whole in dishes like curries, biryanis, and other savory dishes, and are also used in sweet dishes and confectionery.
Ground cardamom, as the name suggests, is the seeds of the cardamom plant that have been ground into a fine powder. It is more convenient to use than the whole pods, and it is often used in baking and sweet dishes, like pastries and desserts. The flavor of ground cardamom is less intense than that of whole cardamom pods, so a little more can be used to achieve the desired flavor.

I really like using cardamom pods in this recipe. I personally like the stronger flavour. I also like when I get a cardamom pod in one of my rice pudding bites. I don't think everyone would enjoy this, however. Some people would probably pick them out. In that case, I would likely suggest using ground cardamom. I typically use 8 whole pods, crushed, in this recipe. The last time I made it though, I only had ground cardamom on hand. I used about 1/4 tsp and that seemed to be the right amount. You can always start with a lesser amount of spice in this recipe, and then taste it towards the end and sprinkle in a bit more to your liking. 

Maple Syrup
I choose to use maple syrup in this recipe, because it is what I used most often in my kitchen to naturally sweeten things. If you don't have maple syrup, you can substitute brown sugar. White sugar wouldn't be my choice here, you want the deeper caramel-y flavours that darker sugars provide. The amount of maple syrup in this brown rice pudding doesn't result in a super sweet pudding. I always drizzle some over top before serving. Just like the spices, as I mentioned above, you can simply sweeten to taste with your preferred sweetener. 

Recipe: Brown Rice Pudding with Coconut Milk, Ginger & Warm Spices

​Yield serves 4

​Ingredients:

• 1 cup brown basmati rice
• 2 cups water
• 1 x 400ml can coconut milk, full fat or lite (full fat will taste best, lite if you're trying to be healthier!)
• 1 cup unsweetened oat milk
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup maple syrup + extra for drizzling 
• 1 cinnamon stick + 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 8 cardamom pods, crushed (or a slightly rounded 1/4 tsp ground)
• 1 thumb sized piece of ginger, sliced thin 

Method:

1. ​Combine everything in a heavy bottom pot and bring to a boil. Give it a stir then reduce heat to low and cover.
2. Cook, covered and on low heat for 60 minutes.
3. Remove lid and turn the heat up to medium to begin reducing liquid to thicken pudding. It took about 15 minutes for mine to reduce to desired pudding like consistency. Keep stirring frequently during this stage.
4. I sprinkled in a bit more cinnamon (about 1/2 tsp) to taste at the end. Remove cinnamon stick, and pick out the cardamom pods and slices of ginger if you wish... but I actually LOVE when I get a bite of either, so I keep it in. 
5. Garnish with any combination of fresh & dried fruits, nuts, & seeds. I was really liking kiwi, banana and coconut chips.