Rice Pudding

I prefer medium grain rice, although if you want it very creamy and starchy, you could use arborio, or a blend of medium and arborio is also very pleasing. In any case, don't use instant rice.

It depends a bit on what you're trying to do.

You usually want to use a medium grain or round grain rice for their creamy starchiness. On the other hand, lots of cultures, among them Indians (sub-continental, not American) and Mexicans to name two, famous for their rice puddings, do use long grains.

I don't think I'd use arborio as a top choice, not because it doesn't work well but because it tends to be expensive. Our first choices are asian "glutinous" (aka "sweet") rices and Cal Rose. That said, sometimes it's nice to use a fragrant Thai or an aged Basmati (like Zebra, for instance) for their particular aromas.

There are lots of things you can do to rices, including breaking the grains up a little in a blender or processor, "overstirring," cooking in milk, overcooking slightly, twice-cooking, etc., to make a recalcitrant grain more pudding friendly. With rice-puddings, as with nearly all simple dishes, technique means so much.

BDL

As soon as you wrote Basmati , I thought of Kheer.

There are many variations as far as spices go.
If you are looking for a new flavor regarding rice pudding, coconut rice pudding is always terrific.
Rum and raisin and a good Finnish rice pudding.

I find that Basmati cooks very fast. Pretty much as you wrote , rice can have a mind of its own, you never know if its going to obey the recipe. :)

In the UK we have 'pudding rice' - a round grained rice which works best for sweets and puddings.

I have experimented with all kinds and have found that by cooking the rice twice (medium grain) it comes out the best. First I boil or steam it in water when drain then cook in milk and sugar and proceed from there. It works for me.

my recipe easy as can be,,,,,


2 c jasmine rice
4 qts 1/2 and 1/2
4 c sugar
1 T vanilla

bring to simmer, stir often until slightly thick, let stand and it will set up more when it cools

This is the way I like to make rice pudding too. :thumb:

I have on many ocassions had rice pudding the next day. Many times I have found the rice grains hard. By double cooking with water first then any other way or recipe I have never had it go hard.