Arroz Con Leche (Spanish Rice Pudding)

What was our weekend treat... @cannellevanille’s arroz con leche. Like it’s Indian counterpart (kheer), this Spanish rice pudding, slow simmered for over an hour, is a dessert cooked with love. There is a certain tenderness in the act, patiently stirring and nurturing, until it turns from liquid to luscious... a creamy sea of rice and milk dotted with a million specks of vanilla. As the fragrance of sweet spices filled my kitchen, I could see why this dish holds a special place in the author’s heart. For my version, I used short-grained Gobindobhog rice, added some green cardamom and sweetened the pudding with coconut sugar. No strawberries in sight, so my topping of choice was pomegranate arils in a homemade syrup (made by reducing fresh pomegranate juice, a little lime, honey and rose water until syrupy). It gave the pudding a tangy contrast and a tinge of dusty pink.

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Recipe

Arroz Con Leche

Aran Goyoaga’s original recipe in honor of her grandmother can be found at https://thefoldmag.com/wellness/hungry-hearts-aran-goyagas-arroz-con-leche.