Mango Rice Pudding with Chocolate Flakes
The rest of the mangoes I intended to use for the cake went to this wonderful dessert. Mangoes give me fond memories and transport me back to my past. My sentimental side breaks out. It's my little flaw. How many people do you know get teary-eyed over a fruit? One in a million and that should be me.
Ripe mangoes go with rice. Very well even. When I was a child, princess picky eater that I was, I would eat them together as a substitute meal when I didn't like what was for dinner or lunch. It is a scrumptious blend and I love it. I swore I could live on them but my parents wouldn't hear of it. Tsk! Tsk! Frustration was evident in their faces as they told me the umpteenth time that I had to follow the food pyramid to grow healthy.
Now the tables have turned it's my turn to be the frustrated parent who has an ensuing campaign to make my daughter eat different kinds of food other than her favorite combination of rice with extra virgin olive oil and grated parmigiano reggiano. I continuously reprimand her that she needs nutrients from the food pyramid. Didn't I hear that before?
This is a simple rice pudding cooked with coconut milk and crushed mangoes, topped with fresh mangoes and chocolate shavings. Of course, plain steamed rice with fresh mangoes is much simpler but this one puts it together into a real dessert.
A note about the rice. Being an Asian dessert, it calls for Asian rice, especially the glutinous kind. I tried it once with that rice but it didn't impress me. I wondered if the quality of the rice I used was low that the rice pudding came out barely acceptable. That experience made me stick with Arborio rice. It has a better body and consistency.
Hope you enjoy this one!
Mango Rice Pudding with Chocolate Flakes
Ingredients:
Serves 4
- 2 ripe mangoes
- 1 cup rice (I prefer using Arborio)
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups coconut milk
- 2 - 4 tablespoons sugar (adjust amount according to the sweetness of the mangoes)
- Chocolate flakes for garnishing
- Slice the mangoes and scoop out all the pulp. Separate 1/3 of the pulp, dice then set aside. This will serve later for garnishing.
- Put the rest of the mangoes in a blender and blend coarsely. Set aside.
- Over high heat, in a saucepan with medium high sides, cook the water and the rice together. Bring it to a boil
- When it boils, put the heat to the lowest, partially cover, and cook until almost all the water has been absorbed but still creamy.
- Pour the coconut milk and sugar in the saucepan and stir to mix well. Cover and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add the mangoes and stir to mix well. Cover.
- Cook until most of the liquid has been absorbed, about 8 - 10 minutes. In case the rice pudding is starting to dry up and the rice is still hard, add more coconut milk or hot water.
- After it is cooked, let it rest for about 15 minutes. This is best enjoyed lightly warm, not hot.
- Meantime, prepare the chocolate flakes by using a peeler to scrape the flakes from a block of chocolate.
- Serve in individual bowls. Garnish with the diced mangoes and chocolate flakes.
