Brown Rice Pudding

In my legal world, I’m accustomed to starting things fresh.  Every case requires its own study; every case presents its own facts and presentation of the law.  It’s why the Circuit Courts can direct their District Courts in opposite directions.  It’s why a simple car accident can take its litigants to the Supreme Court, and it’s why the Justices there can split their vote.  Even the same case presents itself differently to different viewers.

Last week, I should have brought this understanding to my cooking world.

After making rice pudding with white rice, I copied the recipe and went to replicate the dessert with brown rice.  I poured in the ingredients and allowed the milk to boil, reduced the heat, and then cooked the rice as required.  Twenty minutes passed and the rice was still uncooked.  Forty minutes passed and the rice was still uncooked.  Sixty minutes passed and then eighty minutes passed, and the rice was still hard.  That’s when I cursed under my breath, and realized that white rice and brown rice are not the same case.

White rice cooks much faster than brown rice.  And after ninety minutes of constant stirring I decided to give up and try again.

To make brown rice pudding, I realized after researching the issue, the brown rice has to be precooked.  Only once that is done, can you proceed to turn it into brown rice pudding.  Even in my cooking world, it’s best to research the law of the case, before jumping in headfirst.

Once I precooked the brown rice, things went off without a hitch.  Try cooking with coconut milk, instead of regular milk, for a different, more exotic brown rice pudding!

Brown Rice Pudding

PREP TIME: No prep time
COOK TIME: 70 minutes
YIELD: 3 cups

WHAT TO GRAB:
3 cups cooked, long-grain brown rice (recipe here)
1 1/2 cups low-fat milk or coconut milk
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons chopped almonds, divided
3 tablespoons chopped coconut, divided
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

HOW YOU DO IT:

1.  Place the cooked brown rice in a medium saucepan and pour in the milk and sugar.  Over medium heat, and stirring constantly, heat the mixture until the rice is creamy and heated, and the sugar is fully incorporated – about 10 minutes.  Add more milk if necessary.  Stir in 2 tablespoons of chopped almonds and chopped coconut.

2.  Allow the mixture to cool slightly.  Spoon the rice pudding into individual ramekins, and top with a dash of cinnamon, chopped almonds, and chopped coconut!