Keeping with this week’s luuuuuurrrve theme, I bring you today’s treat- a play on the number one, all time iconic Valentine’s gift: roses.
I am not much for flowers. It’s not that I don’t like them, I think they’re lovely, and whenever my friends buy them for their homes I marvel at how much they brighten up a room. It’s just… well… logic gets in the way.
(I know, I know, Hollywood tell us romance is supposed to be ‘illogical,’ but frankly, I think that’s a bunch of teenage bollosky. ‘True love’ is built on affection, companionship, friendship and all the hot sassy stuff. Yarrr, I’m a curmudgeon! Kids these days! Get off my lawn *shakes fist at a cloud*)
But I digress… in our early days of dating, I told Colin straight up that I wasn’t a flowers and chocolates kind of gal. Now, this wasn’t to say I didn’t like to be treated- not at all. But I told him that if he was going to spend the money, I would much prefer wine and cheese to flowers and chocolates. I stand by that today, too. It’s just my preference.
Honestly, even if he skips the wine these days due to my ‘delicate condition,’ I appreciate it if he picks up the Doggy Daycare bill and let’s me hoard the remote control. Now that, my friends, that is love. 😉
This recipe might not be ‘getting your Valentine roses’ in the traditional sense, but I sure like it. Taking queues from classical Indian rice pudding and a little note here and there from Iranian influences, I’ve come up with a romantic dessert that won’t cost you an arm and a leg.
I can’t even begin to describe the delicate, sweet fragrance of this amazing pot of rice. If Love Potion No.9 were a real thing, I bet it would smell like this pudding.
Intoxicating cardamom, sweet vanilla, floral notes from the rosewater (and rose petals, if you’ve got ’em). It’s rich and creamy but won’t weigh you down for, er… other things you might want to do that night.
Now, this is a bouquet of flowers I can get behind!
| Rose Scented Rice Pudding with Vanilla, Cardamom & Pistachio | Print |
- ½ cup basmati rice
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
- Pinch of salt
- 1 cup coconut milk*
- 5 cups milk*
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split (or 1 tsp pure vanilla extract)
- 1 tsp rosewater
- .
- 2 Tbsp pistachios, coarsely chopped
- 1 tsp dried rose petals (optional)
- Place rice in a fine mesh strainer and rinse thoroughly with cold water. Drain well. Add rice, cardamom and salt to a heavy-bottomed pot and stir well. Add coconut milk and milk and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally for 1 hour and 10 minutes. By this point, the rice should be tender and the mixture should resemble a loose porridge.
- Add the brown sugar and vanilla and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the sugar is completely dissolved. Add rosewater.
- Serve warm or chilled, garnished with pistachios and rose petals.
You made rice pudding look so good! Haha, I continue to completely love the food styling and photos on this blog.
Thanks, Allie!! So much of the time, Chels and I still feel like we’re on the steepest part of the learning curve, so this is the most wonderful compliment 🙂 (and yep, no easy feat making rice pudding look glamorous haha)
how many people does it serve?
Hi Marta! I would say 6 people for a healthy dessert portion, but it could certainly stretch to 8 people if you serve smaller portions.