Equipment
Ingredients
Rice Base
- 200 g black rice, dry
- 400 ml water
- 1 g salt
Custard Infusion
- 600 ml whole milk
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 5 green cardamom pods, lightly crushed
- 1 lemon, peeled into wide strips
Garnish
- 30 g pistachios, shelled and roughly chopped
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 409 kcal
- Protein
- 11 g
- Carbohydrates
- 72 g
- Fat
- 10 g
- Fiber
- 3 g
- Sugar
- 33 g
- Sodium
- 164 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 3 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 3 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Cholesterol
- 15 mg
- Potassium
- 280 mg
- Calcium
- 185 mg
- Iron
- 1.3 mg
- Magnesium
- 26 mg
- Phosphorus
- 235 mg
- Zinc
- 0.7 mg
- Vitamin A
- 71 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 1 mg
- Vitamin D
- 1.9 mcg
- Vitamin E
- 0.3 mg
- Vitamin K
- 0 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.2 mg
- Vitamin B12
- 0.7 mcg
- Thiamin
- 0.14 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.27 mg
- Niacin
- 0.2 mg
- Folate
- 11 mcg
- Water
- 234 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the black rice in a fine mesh sieve and rinse thoroughly under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain well.
In a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine the drained black rice, water, and salt. Bring to a boil at 100°C (212°F), then reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and simmer for 30 minutes until the water is mostly absorbed and the rice grains have softened slightly.
Stir in the whole milk, granulated sugar, lightly crushed cardamom pods, and lemon strips using a wooden spoon. Increase the heat slightly to bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, taking care not to let it boil over rapidly.
Cook uncovered on low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring frequently with the wooden spoon, especially across the bottom of the pan, to prevent the milk from scorching. The pudding is ready when the milk has reduced by about half, coating the back of the spoon, and the rice is tender.
Remove the saucepan from the heat. Carefully fish out and discard the cardamom pods and lemon strips. Allow the pudding to rest for 15 minutes in the pan, as it will continue to thicken as it cools.
Portion the pudding into individual serving bowls. Garnish with roughly chopped pistachios if using. Serve warm, or cover and chill completely to serve cold.
Chef's Notes
- Black rice, often called forbidden rice, contains high amounts of anthocyanins, the same antioxidants found in blueberries. This nutrient profile gives the pudding its striking deep purple hue once mixed with the dairy.
- To extract maximum aromatic oils from the cardamom, give the pods a firm but gentle crack with the flat side of a knife just before adding them to the pot.
- Always use a sharp vegetable peeler to remove the lemon zest in thin, wide strips, ensuring you leave the bitter white spongy pith behind. This allows the essential citrus oils to gently infuse the milk without imparting bitterness.
- If you prefer a richer, dairy-free dessert, substitute the whole milk with an equal volume of full-fat coconut milk.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Cover tightly with plastic wrap pressed directly against the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming.
Reheating: Reheat gently in a saucepan over low heat, adding a splash of milk to loosen the consistency.
Troubleshooting
Milk scorched on the bottom of the pan
Cause: Heat was too high or the pudding was not stirred frequently enough during the reduction phase.
Fix: Do not scrape the burnt bottom. Immediately and gently transfer the unburnt pudding to a clean pot to finish cooking.
Prevention: Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan to distribute heat evenly and stir every few minutes, scraping the bottom corners.
Rice is still hard and crunchy despite the milk reducing entirely
Cause: The rice was older and particularly dry, or the initial water simmer was too short.
Fix: Add an extra 100ml of water or milk to the pot, cover, and continue simmering on very low heat until the rice reaches the desired tenderness.
Prevention: Ensure the rice is partially softened during the water simmer before introducing dairy, as dairy fats can coat the grain and slow the cooking process.
Cultural Context
Black rice pudding is a beloved staple dessert across Southeast Asia, particularly in Thailand and Indonesia where it is traditionally sweetened with rich palm sugar and served with a salted coconut cream cap. This fusion recipe adopts the foundational slow-cooking technique of those traditions but pivots the flavor profile toward the Middle East and Mediterranean, employing the bright, aromatic pairing of fresh lemon peel and green cardamom.
