Equipment
Ingredients
Pudding Base
- 1000 ml whole milk, cold
- 100 g jasmine rice, unrinsed
- 65 g white sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped
- 1 g salt
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 251 kcal
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 30 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
- Sugar
- 29 g
- Sodium
- 205 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 5 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 25 mg
- Potassium
- 337 mg
- Calcium
- 284 mg
- Iron
- 0.1 mg
- Magnesium
- 27 mg
- Phosphorus
- 212 mg
- Zinc
- 0.9 mg
- Vitamin A
- 115 mcg
- Vitamin D
- 3.3 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin K
- 1 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.1 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 1.1 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.13 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.43 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 13 mcg
- Water
- 240 g
- Alcohol
- 4 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Using a paring knife, split the vanilla bean lengthwise down the middle. Use the back of the knife to scrape out the tiny black seeds from the inside of the pod.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the whole milk, unrinsed jasmine rice, white sugar, salt, vanilla seeds, and the empty vanilla pod.
Place the saucepan over medium-high heat and bring the mixture to a gentle boil. Stir frequently with a wooden spoon to ensure the rice and sugar do not stick to the bottom of the pan.
Immediately reduce the heat to the lowest setting. Simmer gently for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring every 5 minutes. Scrape the bottom and sides of the pot each time you stir. The pudding is ready when the rice is completely tender and the milk has reduced into a thick, creamy sauce that coats the back of a spoon.
Remove the saucepan from the heat and carefully pluck out the vanilla pod. The pudding will look slightly looser than desired, but it will thicken significantly as it cools. Serve warm immediately, or allow to cool and chill for later.
Chef's Notes
- Do not rinse the jasmine rice before use. The surface starches naturally thicken the milk into a creamy custard-like texture without the need for eggs or cornstarch.
- Patience is essential. Stirring frequently not only prevents scorching but also agitates the rice grains, encouraging them to release more of their thickening starches.
- Pull the pudding off the heat while it still looks a little too runny. As the starches cool, the pudding will set up beautifully. If you cook it until it looks perfect in the pot, it will become dense and pasty once cooled.
- After chilling in the refrigerator, the pudding will become quite firm. Stirring in a tablespoon or two of cold milk before serving will instantly restore its luxurious, creamy texture.
Storage
Refrigerator: 5 days — Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming.
Reheating: Reheat gently on the stove over low heat, stirring in a splash of fresh milk to loosen the consistency.
Troubleshooting
Rice is still crunchy but liquid has evaporated
Cause: Heat was too high, causing the milk to evaporate before the rice had time to cook.
Fix: Stir in an additional 120ml of warm milk and continue cooking on low until the rice is completely tender.
Prevention: Maintain a very gentle simmer on the lowest possible heat setting.
Bottom of the pudding is scorched or burnt
Cause: Infrequent stirring or using a pot with a thin base.
Fix: Immediately transfer the unburnt top portion of the pudding to a clean pot without scraping the scorched bottom. Cannot be fixed if smoke flavor has permeated the dish.
Prevention: Stir every 5 minutes, scraping the very bottom of the pan, and use heavy-bottomed cookware.
Cultural Context
Rice pudding is a globally cherished comfort food, appearing in variations from Indian kheer to Latin American arroz con leche. Using jasmine rice adds a subtle floral aroma native to Southeast Asian cuisine, elevating the classic European milk pudding technique with deep, natural aromatic notes.
