Brown Rice Pudding With Nuts and Cardamom

Dairy-Free

Gluten-Free

Vegan

Vegetarian

This vegan rice pudding, from Dan Buettner’s new cookbook, The Blue Zones American Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100, uses plant-based milk in place of dairy.

By Hao Tran | Experience Life

Makes4 servings
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time80 minutes

Ingredients
Directions

Ingredients

3 cups unsweetened, unflavored, plant-based milk, such as almond, soy, cashew, or rice
1 cup uncooked brown rice
1/4 cup chopped dates
1/4 cup pure cane sugar or pure maple syrup
1 ½ cups room-temperature water plus 1/4 cup hot water
2 pinches of saffron, plus additional for garnish
1 tbs. raisins
1 tbs. toasted slivered or sliced almonds, plus additional for garnish
1 tbs. chopped roasted pistachios, plus additional for garnish
1 tsp. ground cardamom

In a large saucepan, combine the milk, rice, dates, sugar, and 1 cup of the room-temperature water over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered, stirring frequently, for about 45 minutes, or until the rice is completely cooked; there should still be plenty of liquid in the pot.

STEP 2

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the saffron and the ¼ cup of hot water. Let stand for 10 to 15 minutes.

STEP 3

Add the saffron with its soaking liquid, the raisins, almonds, pistachios, cardamom, and the remaining ½ cup of room-temperature water to the pot with the cooked rice. Cook for 10 to 20 minutes more, stirring occasionally, until the rice is creamy.

STEP 4

Serve hot, garnished with a few threads of saffron, sliced almonds, and chopped pistachios.

Nutritional information

This recipe was included in The Blue Zones American Kitchen: 100 Recipes to Live to 100, the new cookbook from #1 New York Times bestselling author, National Geographic fellow, and founder of Blue Zones, Dan Buettner.

By Hao Tran

Hao Tran is co-owner of Hao & Dixya and the Table.