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1
Rinse and Soak the Rice
15 Mins
Room temperature, about 20°C (68°F)
Rinse the short-grain rice in cold water until the water runs almost clear, then leave it to soak for 15 minutes and drain it well. Rinsing removes the loose surface starch that would make the pudding gluey.
Do not skip the soak: soaked rice cooks down soft and creamy in half the stirring time.
Done when: Rice rinsed clean and drained, grains plump from soaking.
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2
Cook the Rice in Water First
10 Mins
Simmer, about 95°C (203°F)
Put the drained rice and the 240 ml of water in a heavy saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, then turn the heat down and simmer for about 10 minutes until the rice is tender and most of the water is absorbed. Stir once or twice so nothing sticks.
Cooking the rice in water first is the Lebanese way: it lets the grains soften fully before the milk goes in, so the milk never scorches while the rice is still hard.
Done when: Rice tender and swollen, with only a spoonful of water left in the pan.
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3
Simmer in Milk Until Creamy
30 Mins
Gentle simmer, about 85°C (185°F)
Pour in the litre of whole milk, the sugar and the pinch of salt. Stir in the cornstarch slurry, bring the pan back to a gentle simmer, then turn the heat to low and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring often and scraping the bottom of the pan. The pudding is ready when it coats the back of a spoon and the rice grains have almost melted into the milk.
Keep the heat low and the spoon moving: milk scorches in seconds on high heat, and a burnt taste cannot be fixed. The pudding thickens more as it cools, so stop while it still pours slowly.
Done when: Pudding thick, creamy and coating a spoon, with the rice grains soft and barely distinct.
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4
Stir in Mastic and Orange Blossom Water
2 Mins
Off the heat, cooling from about 85°C (185°F)
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the ground mastic, then the orange blossom water. Stir for a few seconds until the scent rises — the flower water goes in last so its perfume does not cook away.
Taste now and add a few more drops of orange blossom water only if you want it stronger; a little goes a long way and too much turns soapy.
Done when: Pudding fragrant with orange blossom and a faint pine note from the mastic.
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5
Chill Until Softly Set
2 Hours
Fridge, 4°C (40°F) or below
Spoon the hot pudding into six small bowls or glasses, smooth the tops, and leave them on the counter until they stop steaming. Cover each bowl loosely and chill in the fridge for at least two hours, until softly set.
Cover the bowls once they are cool, not while steaming, or condensation drips back and waters the surface.
Done when: Pudding cool, softly set and holding its shape when tipped gently.
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6
Top with Pistachios and Serve Cold
5 Mins
Served cold, 4°C (40°F)
Scatter the chopped pistachios over each cold bowl just before serving, so they stay crisp and green against the white pudding. Serve cold, with a spoon and Arabic coffee.
Top only the bowls you are serving now: pistachios left on stored bowls go soft in the fridge.
Done when: Pudding cold and set, pistachios crisp and freshly scattered.
auto_awesome Finishing Touches & Plating
Spoon the pudding into six small bowls, smooth the tops, and chill for at least two hours until softly set. Scatter the chopped pistachios over the top just before serving, and serve cold with a spoon.
Lebanon
25m
