Pudding is often eaten by Indians as a dessert or as a savory item. This dish is commonly found in every household in India, however, it may not all look or taste the same. This is because, we Indians can add our touch of culture, geography, traditions and different ingredients to anything and everything. The same is in the case of pudding. The purpose of the dish stays uniform but the treatment of it changes with every household.

This article will take you down that path and maybe redevelop your sweet tooth.  

Rice Pudding

Rice pudding is a rich and creamy, comforting dessert with a good old-fashioned flavor. It is super easy to make. Rice pudding is a dish made from rice mixed with water or milk and other ingredients such as cinnamon and raisins. Variants are used for either desserts or dinners. When used as a dessert, it is commonly combined with a sweetener such as sugar. Such desserts are found on many continents, especially Asia where rice is a staple. Some variants are thickened only with the rice starch, others include eggs, making them a kind of custard. It can be flavored in any number of ways, is a snap to make, and is a great way to use up leftover rice.

Ingredients: Rice, milk, sugar, bananas and cinnamon or toasted walnuts and a bit of nutmeg.

Method

1. Start your pudding with cooked white rice.

2. Combine the cooked rice, sugar, and the milk or cream in a heavy saucepan over medium heat.

3. Cook, stirring often, until the liquid has reduced and the pudding has thickened. This should take about 20 minutes.

4. Stir in dried or fresh fruit, toasted nuts, or a dash of spice. Try a combination of bananas and cinnamon or toasted walnuts and a bit of nutmeg.

5. If you like a rich pudding, try mixing in a bit of beaten egg and some additional milk. Stir constantly for about 2 minutes to cook the egg and thicken the pudding. If desired, stir in a bit of cold butter to add sheen.

6. Spoon your pudding into individual serving dishes; serve warm or chilled.

Khari Biscuit Pudding

In India we often have khari or rusk for breakfast or as a snack. The origins of this treat is difficult to find out but were fascinated to learn that the credit for inventing puff pastry is claimed by France in the 17th century and Islamic Spain even earlier than that. Apparently the Islamic Spanish version dates back to the 13th century where they used olive oil between sheets of dough to make the puff pastry.

Making this puff pastry from scratch is a lot of work, where butter is pressed between sheets of dough, rolled out, folded and repeated many times over. So do take the easier way out and buy them off at a store near you.

Ingredients

• packet Khari biscuit (a puff pastry biscuit).
• 1 litre thick custard, made without sugar, 1 tin condensed milk, 300 ml  cream.
• For decoration: Fried cashews chopped into bits and bananas slices.

Method: Make custard with one litre milk and make sure its thick. When cool add condensed milk and cream to it. Mix well. Layer the Khari biscuits and add custard mixture on top. Allow it to cool and set in the refrigerator. Just before serving, add a few nuts and some sliced bananas.

You can now get off your seat, rush to the kitchen and indulge in pure happiness. Because life is too short, dessert first!