Easy Arabic Rice Pudding Recipe

easy middle eastern rice pudding recipe featured image

It's easy to make this lovely rice pudding recipe on the stovetop with just 30 minutes of hands-on time! It's deliciously creamy, yet light and refreshing with a lacing of flower water. A little sprinkle of pistachio on top is the perfect foil, adding nutty flavor and contrasting crunchy texture.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Arabic and Middle Eastern, Middle Eastern

Keyword Arabic Rice Pudding, Creamy Rice Pudding Recipe, Easy Rice Pudding, Easy Rice Pudding Recipe, Homemade Rice Pudding, How to Cook Rice Pudding, How to Make Rice Pudding, Middle Eastern Rice Pudding, Rice Pudding Recipe, Simple Rice Pudding Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Chill Time: 3

Servings servings

Calories 256kcal

Author Faith Gorsky

Ingredients

4 cups whole milk divided into 1/2 cup + 3 1/2 cups (see Notes)
4 tablespoons cornstarch
4 tablespoons medium-grain white rice quickly rinsed
1 cup water
6 tablespoons granulated white sugar
3/4 teaspoon rose water
3/4 teaspoon orange blossom water optional
4 tablespoons unsalted pistachios shelled and chopped

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the cornstarch slurry. Whisk together 1/2 cup cold milk with the cornstarch in a small bowl to form a slurry; set aside.
Cook the rice. Bring the rice and water up to a boil in a medium-sized, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Cover the saucepan, turn heat down to simmer, and cook 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Dissolve the sugar in the milk. While the rice cooks, combine the remaining 3 1/2 cups milk and the sugar in another medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook until the sugar is dissolved and the milk starts to steam, stirring occasionally; remove from the heat.
Finishing touches. When the rice is cooked, add the warm milk, cover the saucepan, and bring to a simmer over low heat, stirring occasionally. Cook 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in the cornstarch slurry, bring to a boil, and boil uncovered 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and stir in the rose water and orange blossom water.
Chill. Pour into 6 individual serving cups, cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate to chill (3 to 4 hours).
Enjoy. Serve chilled, garnished with the pistachios.

Notes

Milk: I use whole milk for its rich flavor and creamy texture, but any kind of milk will work. The milk is divided; 1/2 cup is mixed with the cornstarch to form a slurry and 3 1/2 cups is heated with the sugar. Make sure the milk that you mix with the cornstarch is cold so the cornstarch dissolves properly.
To Prevent a Rubbery Skin From Forming on Top of the Pudding: Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding right after you transfer the pudding to the individual cups.
Storage: Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of each pudding; stored this way, the puddings will stay good for up to 4 days in the fridge - but they'll probably be gone well before then!
Vanilla Rice Pudding Variation: Omit the rose water and orange blossom water. Add 1/2 tablespoon of pure vanilla extract (or 1/2 a pod of vanilla; if you use a vanilla pod, add it during step 2 of the instructions).
Cinnamon Rice Pudding Variation: Omit the rose water and orange blossom water. Add 3/4 to 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
Recipe Source: I learned how to make this recipe from my Syrian mother-in-law Sahar when I lived in Damascus. It was first printed in my cookbook An Edible Mosaic: Middle Eastern Fare with Extraordinary Flair by Faith Gorsky; Tuttle Publishing (2012).

Nutrition