Black rice pudding
In contrast to the creamy-coloured British rice pudding, this is a popular Indonesian rice pudding dish eaten at breakfast. It is made from a black rice with a purplish tinge (not to be confused with the black grass seed sold in the UK as wild rice).
A form of this black rice pudding is a regular dessert on the winter menu at Demuths, a 40-seat vegetarian restaurant in Bath. Chef and co-owner Rachel Demuth explains: "We were on holiday in Bali and it was served up for breakfast with fresh coconut. It was stunning.
"They cook it overnight because it takes so long to soften. I got the recipe and brought back some of the black rice, but I'd no idea where to get it over here".
She eventually tracked it down to a Chinese supermarket in Bristol. "It's on the menu just about all the time because it's so popular," she adds.
INGREDIENTS
(serves six)
200g black glutinous rice
1 litre water
50g soft brown sugar
Vanilla pod
For the coconut cream 150ml coconut milk
2tbs coconut cream
1tbs soft brown sugar
Tropical fruit
Toasted coconut
METHOD
Soak the black rice for 12 hours. Rinse and put in a pan with water, sugar and vanilla pod. Bring to the boil and simmer uncovered for one hour or until the rice is soft and the water has been absorbed.
To make the coconut cream, heat the coconut milk, coconut cream and sugar until the sugar has dissolved.
To serve, fill a small bowl with warm black rice pudding and top with hot coconut cream. Finish with sliced tropical fruit, such as mango, papaya or lychees, and sprinkle with toasted coconut.
