BLACK RICE PUDDING

I apologize for making you wait. How could I spend all these months eating and cooking in Bali without sharing this island's signature dish?

Before we left home last August, everyone I know who has been to Bali pleaded with me to share a black rice pudding recipe. There is something magical about this dish. Even eleven years after our first visit to Bali, I distinctly remembered the creamy, sweet satisfaction.

Black rice pudding is served for breakfast, afternoon tea, as well as for dessert. I have yet to find a Balinese menu without it. 

I have heard that black rice is a highly nutritious grain. In my sleuthing, I read that black rice considered a super food, is loaded with iron, and is a powerful antioxidant. Black rice has been called "forbidden rice" in China where only the emperor was allowed to eat it. I must say, this grain does seem august and I'm quite happy it isn't forbidden.

I have tried a number of recipes for this dish. After much experimentation, I came up with this version that I hope you love as much as we do.



INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup black rice
• 4 cups water
• 1/4 cup sticky rice (optional)
• pinch sea salt
• 1 vanilla pod
• 1/2 cup palm/coconut sugar
• coconut cream or coconut milk
• optional: shaved coconut, vanilla ice cream

Soak black rice overnight in 4 cups water. Add sticky rice and soak another hour or two. Add pinch of sea salt and simmer rice until cooked - approximately 45 minutes. Rice should be soft to the bite, moist, and glistening. Pour out any excess cooking water.

Scrape the inside of a vanilla pod and add the essence to the cooked rice. Stir. Add sugar. ( You can add more or less than I suggested, depending on how sweet you like your pudding.) Stir again to coat. Now your silky black rice is ready to eat.

Top with coconut cream or coconut milk. You can also add shredded coconut and even vanilla ice cream to be totally decadent.

Enjoy!

serves 6