Arroz Con Leche - Rice Pudding Spanish Style

 

Inspired by Recipe by Albert Bevia @ Spain on a Fork

This makes about 8 servings                   Difficulty Rating - easy, but it takes lots of stirring

Ingredients                    

• 1 cup short grained rice.  I used medium grain rice because I didn't have short grained rice in the house and it was delicious.  But if you can find Arroz Bomba, or that is what you should use.  Note: This is for Arroz con Leche from Spain, the type of rice may differ depending on the country.
• 8 cups milk - I use 2% 
• 3/4 cup sugar - Note: Most recipes I have seen from Spain, and all recipes I have seen from Central/South America call for more sugar, about 1 cup, but I tried it with one cup and it was too sweet for me.  Make your own choice.
• 2 Vanilla beans or 1 vanilla bean and 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 Cinnamon sticks
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon powder. I like Penzy's Vietnamese Cinnamon
  
• 8 slices of lemon peel

Instructions

Place a large frying pan a medium heat and add milk, vanilla bean (and vanilla extract if using), cinnnamon sticks and sugar.  Stir so it is all mixed together.

When this begins to simmer lightly, add rice stir to combine.  It is important to continue stirring so the milk doesn't form a film.  However, it did form a film many times as I was cooking since I don't have the patience to stir every second.  The film disappeared as I stirred

10 minutes after adding the rice to the pan, lower to a LOW heat, and add the sugar to the pan, and stir.

4.      Continue to stir for another 20 minutes or until you can run run the spatula through the pan, and it makes a little path so you can see the bottom of the pan. 

5.      Remove the rice pudding from the burner and let rest for about 8 minutes

6.      Spoon the rice pudding into small bowls

7.      Sprinkle with some cinnamon powder and garnish with a mint leaf

fresh lemon peels

Mardely adding the vanilla bean to the pudding mixture

Mardely chosing which mint to use for our arroz con leche/rice pudding

Mardely clipping mint from our garden

Thai Iced Coffee - Gafea Yen กาแฟเย็น

Serves 2 or 3 depending on the size of the glass

 Ingredient:

To make 1 glass, half this recipe, to make 4 or 5, double the recipe

 

·        5 Tbsp Thai coffee (Oliang powder mix) If you can't get Thai Coffee Powder (Oliang) try it with strong coffee like espresso

·        1 1/2 cup boiling water

·        31/2  Tbsp sweetened condensed milk

·        3 tsp sugar

·        Pinch of salt

·        Fill the glasses with ice

·        About 5  Tbsp evaporated milk

Preparation:

Place dry coffee into
the Coffee into the press or strainer.  Pour boiling water into your coffee press (you can use a jar and a strainer). Stir it well.  Let it steep for about 5 minutes  Note:  Most Thai people use the cloth strainer, I prefer to use the press. It's easier to keep clean and it lasts forever.

Add sweetened condensed milk
sugar, pinch of salt into a glass
mixing cup

While you wait, get a glass mixing cup (glass so you can see through it and ensure that the condensed milk is totally mixed).

Mix together the sweetened condensed milk, sugar, pinch of salt.

Add hot coffee to the mixing cup.

Add the hot coffee to the mixing glass and stir until everything is dissolved.

When you are ready for your treat, fill the drinking glasses with ice, almost to the top and pour in your coffee leaving just enough room on the top to add some evaporated milk to taste.