Dairy-Free Rice Pudding

I always liked rice pudding, especially the way we do it in Lebanon (riz bi 7aleeb) with rose water and orange blossom water. However, I could not eat it anymore because of my sensitivity to dairy.

 I have visited Thailand several times and I always ate a dessert called "sticky rice", which is made with rice and coconut milk. So I thought, why not try to do our rice pudding with coconut milk instead of cow milk. It worked perfectly well! And the taste is great! You should give it a try.

Ingredients

- ½ cup short grain rice

- 2 cups warm water

- ¾ cups sugar (or more)

- 1 can coconut milk (400 ml)

- 1 tsp vanilla extract

- 1 tsp rose water (optional)

- 1 tsp orange blossom water (optional)

Method

1. Wash the rice, put it in a saucepan, and add the warm water to it.
2. Put it on the heat and let it simmer for half an hour or slightly more until all the water is absorbed. 
3. Add the sugar to the cooked rice and stir well.
4. Add the coconut milk and the vanilla extract and stir. Keep it on low heat and keep stirring until all the milk is absorbed.
5. Take it off the heat and add the rose water and orange blossom water if using.
6. Pour the pudding in ramekins or small bowls and garnish with shaved chocolate, coconut shavings, nuts like pistachios or even dried cranberries or raisins.
7. Serve warm or cold. 

Yields: four portions