This dish is not only tasty but also makes a striking presentation. I have served it at many dinner parties just after guests have announced, "I could not eat another bite of anything. I am so full." And then they have proceeded to polish off this entire dessert. The recipe uses cardamom seeds. Use your fingers to coax the tiny seeds out of the pod. Pound them gently using a mortar and pestle, or put them in a heavy-duty plastic bag and pound them with a hammer. If you have a mango that is firm, peel it and then use a vegetable peeler to create thin mango slices. Arrange the slices on a plate and place a scoop of the rice pudding in the center of the mango "carpaccio." The recipe is adapted from Modern Spice by Monica Bhide (Simon & Schuster 2009).
Makes 6 servings
3 cups whole milk
2 to 4 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk*
1⁄4 cup white basmati rice, rinsed and drained
1 teaspoon cardamom seeds, crushed
1 ripe mango, peeled and diced
In a deep saucepan, bring the whole milk and condensed milk to a boil over medium heat. Stir constantly to prevent scorching.
Reduce the heat to medium-low. Add the rice and cardamom and mix well. Continue to cook for about 50 minutes, until the milk has reduced by half and you get a creamy consistency. Stir frequently while cooking.
Remove from the heat and allow to come to room temperature.
Refrigerate, covered, for at least an hour.
When ready to serve, spoon some pudding into a wine glass, layer with some mango and add another layer of rice pudding. Serve immediately.
* Use 4 tablespoons of condensed milk if you like rice pudding really sweet. With 2 tablespoons, it is sweet but not overwhelmingly so.
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