Rice pudding, referred to as “sweet rice” in Trinidad is another one of our popular desserts. Rice is cooked with ginger and spices and three types of milk to produce a classic, creamy, rice pudding. I recall that “sweet rice” was mostly served and eaten at religious functions including Hindu 'prayers', but there are many of us who enjoy it occasionally at home.
Wash rice with several changes of water until water is clear. Drain.
In a medium stock pot, add water, rice, cinnamon stick, cardamom, ginger and cloves if using. Bring to a boil over high heat uncovered. Once it comes to a boil, immediately reduce heat to medium low. Cook until rice is cooked but still firm, about 15-20 minutes. If it's still not soft and tender after that time, add additional 1 cup of water and continue to cook.
Add whole milk and cook until most of the milk is absorbed (about 5-10 minutes), stirring constantly to prevent sticking.
Add evaporated milk and cook, stirring constantly, until that boils down, about 5-10 minutes, maybe more depending on your burner.
Add condensed milk and cook, stirring constantly, until it thickens but not totally evaporated, another 10-20 minutes. I recommend cooking on a very low heat until the color begins to darken slightly. This way the flavors develop even further. Always check to make sure the bottom is not burning.
Remove cinnamon stick (and whole cardamoms and cloves if you used those ingredients) before serving.
Enjoy hot, warm or cold, alone, or with fresh fruit…and if you are a real Trini, eat it with Dhalpuri roti.
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Notes
The technique is very similar to that used in making Risotto, which involves the gradual addition of liquid and constant stirring. I used Jasmine rice but you can definitely try it with white rice, however, do not add milk until the rice is cooked. The senior cooks in my family claim that the rice does not boil well using milk. If for some reason the rice is still not fully cooked using the four cups of water, add additional water(in ¼ cup increments) until it is fully cooked. This recipe can be modified depending on the consistency you prefer. For a thicker consistency, cook longer allowing more liquid to be evaporated, if you like a more liquid consistency, cook for less time. When I used one cup of condensed milk, Mummy claimed it wasn't sweet enough, so please, for the love of God, add more condensed milk and make Mummy happy! She also said it could use a little more ginger, so ginger lovers, feel free to add more. Optional ingredients(use any or all of the following): 3 whole cloves, ½ cup raisins, 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
When doubling the recipe I used 1 cup of granulated sugar instead of the additional condensed milk and it was equally delicious.