This is a brilliant take on our classic nursery pudding, which I stumbled upon by quizzing the girls in my local Chinese supermarket (a great way of getting new ideas). It hails from Asia and is more nutty than our slightly pappy version. However, what it shares with British rice pudding is the inclusion of nutmeg, which lends a delicate spicing that I just can't get enough of – whichever way you want to eat your rice pudding.
Serves 6 hungry people
450g black rice (available from Asian supermarkets)
1 litre coconut milk
zest of 1 lime
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
110g unrefined sugar – either jaggery or palm sugar (available from Asian supermarkets)
creme fraiche and fresh mango slices, to serve
Place the rice in a sieve and rinse under cold running water. Tip into a large saucepan, add the coconut milk, lime zest and nutmeg and bring slowly to the boil. Turn the heat down as low as you can and place a lid on top. Simmer for about an hour, until most of the milk has been absorbed. Grate in the unrefined sugar and continue to heat for just long enough for this to dissolve. Taste to check the balance of sugar and lime, just as you would when you are seasoning a savoury dish. It should have a slightly nutty texture and be gently sweet. Serve with creme fraiche and sliced mango.
• I have suggested serving this dish with creme fraiche, which is totally unorthodox – being French – but I really like the tart edge that it offers in contrast to the rich coconut milk. You are aiming for the pudding rice to be nutty with a bite – similar to risotto – not the creamy texture you would expect from traditional rice pudding.
• This recipe is taken from Supper with Rosie by Rosie Lovell (Kyle Books, £16.99). Order a copy for £13.59 from the Guardian bookshop
