Lebanese Rice Pudding

Recipe:

5 cups whole milk

1 cup heavy cream

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup small grain rice

4 Mastic (preferrably greek) + tsp sugar

1 tsp orange blossom water

Crushed pistachios and rose petals for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Note: it’s preferred to used the specific ingredients listed above to obtain the best rice pudding. Mastic and orange blossom are added for aroma and flavor and that’s what makes it distinctive. But you can omit the Mastic if it’s hard to find. A whole fat milk and small grain rice are necessary for best texture.

1. In a pot, add the whole milk, heavy cream, and sugar. Mix well and bring to a simmer over the heat. Mix until the sugar is dissolved.

2. Lower the heat and add the small grain rice (don’t wash, we need the starch from the rice)

3. Mix the rice into the milk and cover the pot with a lid.

4. Cook over low heat for 2 hrs to 2 1/2 hrs. (or until rice is really cooked) while gentle mixing it occasionally to avoid a burnt bottom on the pot. Note: you don’t have to stand over the pot for all that time. Mix it, cover it, and then check again every 20 minutes. But it must be on low heat.

5. After the time, the rice should be cooked, very soft, and puffy. This will help thicken the mixture.

6. In a mortar and pestle, add the sugar and Mastic and crush the Mastic until it’s a powder. Note: if you don’t have a mortar and pestle, then use a spice grinder or in between two plates, anything that crushes the Mastic.

7. Add the Mastic powder and orange blossom water to the rice pudding once it’s complete. Mix it well.

8. Then add the rice pudding into individual cups, bowls, or containers while it’s still hot.

9. Allow it to cool completely before enjoying. Add the desired garnishes.

10. Sahtean! Enjoy!