Sunday, January 1, 2012

Eight treasures

New year, new leaf. Thought I'd resurrect this blog and scratch down some of the cooking adventures that I am determined to make time for in 2012.

Afternoon trip to the very wonderful Buddhist temple in Flat Bush and the eight treasure congee New Year's ceremony (which we missed) put me in mind of a recipe in a book I got for my wedding a bazillion years ago (20. On Wednesday.)

So, I've never made eight treasure pudding. It was a lot of fun. I tend to make quite a dry style of rice pudding, soak the rice first so it cooks very soft, then simmer on the stovetop with about half and half milk and water. The treasures were: home-bottled apricots, Anjou pears, prunes, almonds, ginger, raisins, angelica and orange. I flavoured it with saffron and cardamom. Usually I'd use rosewater too, but visiting step-daughter doesn't like, so I served it with pouring cream and a home-made vanilla and rose mascarpone.

My other favourite rice pudding is black rice, coconut cream and lime or coffee. Visiting step-daughter also doesn't like coconut, so that one can wait for a few weeks.

The raisins and prunes look like bumblebees in the pic but honest, it's vegetarian.

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