New Year's Eve Rice Pudding

A little over a week ago, my parents and I were discussing the pros and cons of new year's resolutions. We realized that we could barely remember our resolutions from past years. Our resolve was never as exemplary as the resolutions themselves.

As a result of this conversation, my parents decided to stir up their usual New Year's routine. Instead of an evening of over indulgence and declarations to sleep more, exercise more, eat less (etc.), they decided that their last celebration of 2009 was to atone for their excesses of the decade. They hosted a vegan potluck. We spent December 31st cooking up a vegan storm: Roasted asparagus and roma tomatoes with toasted bread crumbs, pine nuts and garlic. We nestled a sautee of paprika-bathed cabbage, portabella mushrooms and walnuts in flaky filo dough (brushed with oil). For dessert, we made dense, fudgey vegan brownies glazed with raspberry preserves and rice pudding made with almond and coconut milk.

The days leading up to the party we received countless phone calls from our guests. They wanted to add eggs, cheese and butter. "Does it really have to be strictly vegan?" they asked. We were adamant. No eggs! No cheese! And certainly NO butter!

Although we had to survive lots of grumbling and complaints, our friends brought very creative and flavorful dishes. Our dining room table became an array of homemade bread, japanese pickles, coconut rice, cashew curry, linguine with garlic and olive oil, chickpeas and eggplant...(the list keeps on going)

All the food was delicious, but the dish that I grabbed from the refrigerator the next morning was the rice pudding. I have a special place in my heart for rice pudding. My grandmother would make it for me every time I went to her house for dinner. Her rice pudding was made with whole milk, a dash of cream and a sprinkling of rose water. Being the butter embracing Armenian grandmother that she is, she'd probably disapprove of this vegan version of my favorite dessert, but hey, there are times for heavy cream and there are times for almond milk.


Rice Pudding

1 cup short grain rice (I use arborio)
1 cup coconut milk (light works well)
3 cups almond milk
dash of salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or a dash of rose water)
1/2-3/4 cup sugar or maple syrup
ground cinnamon for sprinkling on finished rice pudding
chopped pistachios for garnish

Bring 2 cups of almond milk and one cup of coconut milk to boil with rice and salt. Once boiling, lower the heat of the stove. Rice should simmer for 30 minutes or so. Stir constantly! Add remaining almond milk or coconut milk throughout the process, as the rice will absorb the milk. If an additional cup of milk is not enough, feel free to add more. When the rice is tender, and you have your desired consistency (anywhere from soupy to firm), stir in your flavoring and sweetener. Taste the pudding and adjust sugar or extract to your personal preference. Pour into a bowl and chill till ready to serve. I like rice pudding best after it has been refrigerated, but it is also delicious at room temperature.

Remember to decorate your pudding with the ground cinnamon and pistachios!