Indian rice pudding

I wake up at 4:00 a.m. to a still-sleeping house. I relight the oil burner on my altar and offer gratitude to my teachers, family, friends, and everything in my life. There is so much to feel grateful for! I start my silence practice, finishing just in time to hear the birds singing their welcome to the morning. I go down to the quiet of the kitchen and start making this creamy, soothing, comforting rice pudding.

My dear friend, Kristin, sent me this recipe in one of her amazingly magical letters. I wait for one of these letters to arrive in the post from Oregon, America. When one does, I am full of excitement in anticipation of what it holds and the knowledge of what it will inspire. Her letters become small magical packages and are filled up with her essence and her expression of her daily life, her solitude, her path to the Eternal Truth, and full of my dear friend. Sometimes I find feathers from her walks, recipes painted on the back of a postcard, leaves she has pressed, shells she has found, paintings she has painted, or little pictures from her daughter, Luna. On this one occasion, she sent me this recipe.

We prepare this every week in the winter, starting early in the morning. The kids wake up at different times and quietly join in, taking turns stirring, breathing, and enjoying the quiet. When it’s ready, we all sit down together to have it for breakfast before heading off in different directions – the kids to school, Jonathan to work, and me to the garden.

I am writing it exactly as it was sent to me (with the addition of saffron).

‘This recipe takes time, dedication, and focus, but the best results are beyond ‘worth the wait’.  Be prepared for an hour of continuous stirring.  The stirring is done in a clockwise spiral direction or a figure of eight clockwise. While stirring, you must have no outer distractions such as the radio, stereo, reading, conversation, or television.  The idea is to feel what you are doing and to stay focused. Prayer, recitation, breath exercises, singing, or meditation are advisable and encouraged.“

Indian rice pudding

A note to those avoiding dairy products.  I made this with homemade almond milk, using 2 litres and simmering until the rice is cooked.  The result is still delicious, but it does miss that rich creaminess that the cow’s milk gives.

ingredients 

3 – 4 Tbsp ghee

1 cup organic white basmati rice

12 cups/3-liters organic full-cream milk

1 bay leaf

1 cinnamon stick

6 cardamom pods

1 pinch saffron (15 threads)

1 vanilla bean

½ – ¾ cup maple syrup

handful sultanas or currants (optional)

preparation 

1. Melt the butter/ghee in a heavy-bottomed large pot over medium heat; add the rice and stir-fry until it is transparent, then add the milk, bay leaf, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, and saffron.
2. With a knife, scrape the vanilla bean along its length and add the bean “paste” and the bean to the pot.
3. Take a wooden spoon and dip it in the milk.  Note how high the milk comes up to the spoon.  Set this spoon aside.
4. Take a new spoon (wooden) and stir continuously on a high flame until the milk boils about 10 -15 minutes; turn down the heat to medium-high and continue stirring for 25 to 30 minutes more.

Remember to keep stirring!

5. When the pudding thickens and reduces 25% from the original wooden spoon measurement, pour in the maple syrup. Continue to stir slowly but constantly to prevent scorching. After about 10 – 15 minutes, you will feel the right thickness and creaminess have been achieved.
6. The pudding continues to thicken after cooling, so remove from heat and add the sultanas if using.

serve

Sprinkle with cinnamon powder and toasted almonds.  This pudding is lovely served warm, at room temperature, or chilled.