Arroz de Leite – The traditional recipe with salt and creaminess

Arroz de leite is a delicious food. Dessert for some, traditional dish for others, the meal is practical and very tasty, great for those who want a quick and simple dish, as well as very tasty.

So, to find out how to make this creamy, salty rice pudding, continue reading until the end.

What is rice pudding?

First of all, for those of you who have no idea what arroz de leite is, for those who don't recognize the name or connect the image you have in your head to the name, it's important to know what it actually is.

So, for those who are curious, rice pudding is the same thing as rice pudding or, also known as functional rice.

It is a dish, usually a dessert but not a rule, made of rice cooked in milk and sugar, seasoned with lemon peel, cinnamon sticks, flower water, cloves, among others, and sprinkled with cinnamon.

Furthermore, it is considered a very popular delicacy in regions where rice is known and valued. Ancient texts say that it was already popular in Southeast Asia, reporting its presence in religious/philosophical texts about Buddha.

Regional variations of rice pudding

Rice pudding, or sweet rice, is famous all over the world where rice is known and valued. Therefore, it is not difficult to imagine that there are variations in its preparation – in fact, if you stop to think about it, it is even good that it has a variety of flavors!

Rice is present in all regions of the world and its continents. It originated in Asia, was taken to Africa and Europe by travelers and traders, and then to the Americas and Australia, taken by European settlers.

With this global arrangement, the tradition of rice pudding also spread to every corner of the planet and, therefore, local peculiarities naturally emerged, transforming a delicious food into something with diverse and delicious flavors.

Examples of these variations are: rice can be cooked directly in milk, or in water and sugar, later adding condensed milk or cream. 

Furthermore, when it comes to additions and condiments, for example: rice pudding accepts almonds (traditional in Denmark),] any type of fruit, chocolate (in the Philippines), many spices, such as cinnamon, and even pandanus leaves (Maldives).

There are several types and ways of making it, another very interesting one for some people, perhaps for you, is vegan rice pudding, which is prepared with vegetable milk (such as almond or soy).

How to make your rice pudding

As you can see, there are a wide variety of ways to make your rice pudding. However, here you will find just one of them, the delicious, creamy one with a pinch of salt.

It’s also worth mentioning that there are other very tasty recipes that don’t use salt – some use sugar, others neither. However, don’t worry, your rice pudding will be delicious with any of these ingredients!

Ingredients

The ingredients can vary a lot, for this recipe, of traditional rice pudding, with salt and very creamy you will use:

• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 tablespoons of powdered milk
• Cinnamon powder to taste
• 1 can of condensed milk
• Cinnamon sticks to taste
• 1 and a half cups of rice
• 1/2 cup (tea) of sugar
• 1 and a half liters of water
• 1 liter of milk
• 1 can of cream

With this easy recipe, which takes around 40 minutes to prepare, you can serve 10 servings of creamy and tasty rice pudding.

Method of preparation

The preparation method is super easy and you will get it right. However, it is worth remembering that you can make some substitutions to try new flavors, see the examples of variations already listed here.

1. In a suitable pan, add the raw rice and submerge it in up to a finger's width of water. Then add the water, a cinnamon stick and sugar;
2. Stir well and cook over low heat until the water has completely dried;
3. Lower the heat and add the powdered milk, stir well until dissolved, then add the whole milk;
4. Let it cook until it boils and then add condensed milk, a little more sugar and a pinch of salt (to taste), cook for another 15 minutes or until it thickens;
5. Turn off and add cream, mix well;
6. Divide into portions and decorate with powdered cinnamon and cinnamon sticks.

Furthermore, as already mentioned, you can use different vegetable milks, such as almond or soy milk, if you are a vegan. Rice milk is accessible to everyone!

Conclusion

In short, the traditional rice pudding recipe, with salt and a very creamy consistency, is quick and easy to make. However, there are many options to be covered and this, only when it comes to additions and condiments.

So, enjoy this recipe and, whenever possible, dare to try new delicious flavors!
For more recipes like this or Easy and Delicious Christmas Dinner Recipes to Make, continue to access the Kitchen Manual.