Grandmother’s Rice Pudding
- 10m Prep Time
- 50m Cook Time
- 1h 0mReady In
A creamy Indian rice pudding flavored with cardamom and cinnamon, topped with pan-fried apples, date syrup, and toasted almonds. This comforting dessert can be enjoyed warm or cold.
Ingredients
- 4 3/13 cups whole milk
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 green cardamom pods crushed
- 2 Indian bay leaves (tej patta)
- 1 1/10 lbs pudding rice
- 2 9/11 oz golden caster/superfine sugar
- 8/15 oz unsalted butter
- 1 Granny Smith apple diced
- 3/7 cups date syrup
- 1 1/16 oz flaked/slivered almonds toasted
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
Estimated based off 6 of 10 identified ingredients (per 100 g food data, scaled by amount).
Vitamins & minerals
- Calcium: 289 mg
- Iron: 0.42 mg
- Magnesium: 26.9 mg
- Phosphorus: 215 mg
- Potassium: 358 mg
- Zinc: 1.06 mg
Let's Prepare
Collect
Gather these ingredients — no prep needed yet.
- 4 3/13 cups whole milk
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 Indian bay leaves (tej patta)
- 1 1/10 lbs pudding rice
- 2 9/11 oz golden caster/superfine sugar
- 8/15 oz unsalted butter
- 3/7 cups date syrup
Prepare
- Crush 2 green cardamom pods
- Dice 1 Granny Smith apple
- Toast 1 1/16 oz flaked/slivered almonds
Let's Cook
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Step 1.
Combine the milk, cinnamon stick, crushed cardamom pods (seeds and husks), and Indian bay leaves in a medium non-stick saucepan. Bring almost to a boil over medium heat, then keep at a fast simmer for 10–15 minutes, stirring continuously, until the milk is reduced by about one-third.
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Step 2.
Once the milk has reduced, add the pudding rice and sugar. Reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for 30–40 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is tender and the pudding has thickened. If the mixture thickens too much before the rice is fully cooked, add a splash more milk.
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Step 3.
While the rice pudding simmers, heat the butter in a small frying pan over medium heat. Add the diced apple and fry, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 3–5 minutes. Set aside.
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Step 4.
Taste the cooked rice pudding and add more sugar if desired. Optionally, remove the cardamom husks and cinnamon stick (or leave them in and warn diners). Serve the pudding warm or cold, topped with the pan-fried apples, drizzled with date syrup, and sprinkled with toasted flaked almonds.