I didn’t intend to make rice pudding. In fact, I had something totally different in mind for this black rice – grand visions of a bibimbap-inspired bowl of rich black rice and eggplant, with some pickled cabbage and sautéed shitakes. Sounds amazing and unique and blog-worthy right?! I could taste it, see the pictures, and it was majestic. Well…it wasn’t bad per se…it just fell a little flat. But hey, shit happens. Turns out honey-roasted eggplant and mushrooms and pickles aren’t quite as harmonious as I had hoped.
So I turned to something comforting, and admittedly, a little less ground-breaking. Rice pudding…because it’s warm and hugs you in ways a citrus salad or mushroom bibimbap simply cannot. Let’s face it – some days aren’t meant for ambitious meals or health-conscious choices. Some days are rice pudding days, and I don’t know about you, but I’ve had a number of those recently. Infusing the milk with tea beforehand yields the flavor and comfort of tea, amplified by sweet, sticky rice. The addition of black rice, I confess, is just for looks. It makes for a beautiful bowl though, and a perfect pick-me-up for a rainy day.
Black Rice Pudding
I used sweetened coconut flakes, which added both flavor and sweetness. Alternatively, you could add maple syrup and unsweetened coconut flakes. Boysenberries go well with the darjeerling and mango flavors, but you could easily substitute other dried fruits. This makes enough for 4 ample servings. I’d eat this as a breakfast or lunch, but with a spike of maple syrup this could easily pass as dessert.
1/2 cup black rice
1/2 cup brown sticky rice
1.5 cups almond milk
1.5 cups water
2 tablespoons darjeeling tea
1 tablespoon vanilla
1/2 cup sweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup dried or fresh boysenberries
2 mangos, chopped
In a medium saucepan, bring the almond milk, water and darjeerling to a boil. Strain the darjeeling and add the black rice, sticky rice and vanilla. Bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for about 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes or so. The mixture should still retain some liquid, but it will become sticky as time progresses. When finished, remove from heat and let cool, covered, for 10 minutes.
Mix in the coconut flakes and boysenberries. Serve with freshly sliced mangos.
