Cardamom Rice Pudding
Creamy stovetop rice pudding scented with cardamom and finished with pistachios.
Why it works for Iftar
- Can be made in advance and served chilled or gently rewarmed.
- A small serving is enough after a larger Iftar meal.
- The method uses ordinary short-grain rice and milk with no specialist equipment.
Ingredients
- 120 g short-grain ricerinsed
- 1 litre whole milk
- 60 g sugaradjust to taste
- 6 green cardamom podslightly crushed
- 1 tsp rose wateroptional
- 30 g pistachioschopped
- 1 pinch salt
Method
- 1Rinse the rice5 min
Rinse rice briefly and drain.
- 2Simmer slowly35 min
Combine rice, milk, cardamom and salt. Simmer on very low heat for 30 to 35 minutes, stirring often, until the rice is soft and the milk thickens.
- 3Sweeten5 min
Stir in sugar and cook for another 5 minutes.
- 4Finish2 min
Remove cardamom pods if easy to find and stir in rose water if using.
- 5Serve3 min
Spoon into bowls and scatter with pistachios. Serve warm or chill before serving.
Notes that make the difference
- Keep the heat low and scrape the base of the pan regularly so milk does not catch.
- The pudding thickens as it cools; stop cooking while it is still slightly looser than your final preference.
Storing and reheating
Keeps refrigerated for up to 3 days. Reheat gently with a splash of milk.
Substitutions
- Use almonds instead of pistachios.
- Use orange-blossom water instead of rose water.
Cooking times assume a standard domestic hob and oven and will vary with your equipment. No nutritional figures are given: calculating them reliably needs the exact brand and weight of every ingredient, and an invented number would be worse than none. If you are managing a health condition, follow your doctor’s dietary advice.
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