Forbidden Rice Pudding

If you've never heard of or tried 'forbidden rice', also known as sticky black rice, then you are in for a taste treat. Asian cultures often use it to make various desserts, but I've found that its nutty flavor is so good with many main dishes, soups and salads as well. Needless to say, I use it often. It's available in health food stores, Asian markets and of course online.

Here are a couple of easy and memorable pudding recipes:




Forbidden Rice Pudding With Blueberries
By MARTHA ROSE SHULMAN
Published: January 26, 2010

This recipe is an adaptation of a wonderful recipe by Sherry Yard, executive pastry chef at Spago Beverly Hills. Forbidden rice, also known as Chinese black rice, is packaged by Lotus Foods and sold at Whole Foods and many gourmet grocers. It becomes purple when cooked, which makes a rice pudding made with Forbidden rice ideal for the addition of blueberries. Serve this for dessert or for breakfast. For a delicious vegan rice pudding, substitute rice beverage for the milk.

1/2 cup Forbidden rice (Chinese black rice)

1 cup water

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup low-fat milk or rice beverage

1 cup unsweetened low-fat coconut milk

1/4 cup mild honey

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup blueberries

1. Combine the rice, water and salt in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and simmer 35 to 40 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed.

2. Add the milk, coconut milk and honey to the rice, and stir together. Bring to a boil, stirring, then reduce the heat and simmer, stirring often, for five to 10 minutes, until creamy. Add the vanilla and blueberries, and continue to simmer for another five minutes.

3. Scrape into a bowl or into individual serving dishes. Cover and chill for at least two hours before serving.

Yield: Serves six.

Advance preparation: You can make this a day or two ahead and keep in a covered bowl in the refrigerator.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/27/health/nutrition/26recipehealth.html?ref=fitnessandnutrition






Black Sticky Rice Pudding – Kao Niow Dahm
A Recipe of Kasma Loha-unchit
Recipe Copyright © 1995 Kasma Loha-unchit.

Ingredients
◦2 cups whole-grain black sticky rice, sweet rice or glutinous rice
◦2 cups, or 1 can, coconut milk
◦1/2 cup sugar
◦1/2 tsp. salt
◦2 Tbs. toasted sesame seeds and/or toasted unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
◦Mangoes and/or mint leaves (optional)

Measure the rice into a bowl; run your fingers through the rice and check for any pebbles or other noticeable impurities. Rinse the rice a few times until the water clears. Cover with at least 2 inches of water and allow to soak 4 or more hours, or overnight. The grains will absorb water and grow in size.

When ready to cook, drain the rice and place in a heat-proof bowl with room enough for the rice grains to expand about a third more than its uncooked bulk. Add a small amount of boiling water, just enough to barely cover the rice grains. Place the bowl on a steamer rack and steam over medium heat about 30-40 minutes. If you do not have a steamer, use a large pot in which the bowl fits. Place a trivet on the bottom along with 2-3 inches of water. Bring to a boil. Balance the bowl with the rice on the trivet and add hot water to the rice. Cover and steam. Steaming the rice with a small volume of water will leave the top layer of grains intact, retaining a chewy texture which pops in your mouth like nuts. If you wish the rice to be softer, add more water to the rice.

While the rice is steaming, make the coconut sauce by heating the coconut milk, sugar and salt together in a saucepan. Stir to dissolve the sugar and salt and blend the sauce until smooth. Keep warm.

When the rice is cooked and while still hot out of the steamer, add about half of the sauce or enough to thoroughly coat the rice. Stir and mix well. The rice should be wet but not swimming in sauce. Let stand 15-20 minutes to allow the flavorings to be absorbed. Reserve the remaining sauce for spooning over the rice before serving.

The flavored rice can be molded into a round mound on a serving plate and decorated with toasted sesame seeds and/or coconut shreds, sliced ripe mangoes and mint leaves for color. Or dish into individual serving bowls or custard cups, topped with the reserved sauce, toasted seeds and coconut and a mint leaf.

For a wetter pudding like texture, the rice may alternatively be cooked by boiling, the same way as you would regular rice. Use 2 1/2 to 3 cups of water to each cup of rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to simmer and cook partially covered until the grains are cooked and surrounded by a thick sauce, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and burning. Add sugar to sweeten to your liking. Stir well, cover and place on lowest heat setting for another 5-10 minutes. Make the sauce less sweet but more salty for contrast with the already sweetened rice. When ready to serve, dish the rice into individual serving bowls and dribble some sauce over each serving.

**Serve warm or at room temperature.**

Notes and Pointers
Because of its rich, nutty flavor, black sticky rice is usually eaten by itself and not served with fruits, like white sticky rice often is with mangoes. For toppings, stronger flavors like toasted sesame seeds or toasted shredded coconut do more to accentuate the natural flavor of the rice. Unsweetened shredded coconut is available in small packages from Asian food markets or sold in bulk in specialty food stores.