Mexican Rice Pudding Recipe

Mexican Rice Pudding With Candied Chickpeas

Adapted from Oaxaca by Bricia Lopez

Preparation time: 15 minutes

Cooking time: 30 minutes concurrently

Serves 8-10 people (it makes a lot!)

For the Rice Pudding

• 3 cups arborio rice
• 6 cups water
• 4x360ml/12floz tins evaporated milk
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated lime zest

For the candied chickpeas

• 1.5 cups water
• 250g/8.8ozs. piloncillo Mexican unrefined brown sugar (I used a Brazilian dark brown sugar block), if you don't have either, use a dark brown sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 star anise
• 1 cup white sugar
• 425g/15oz tin chickpeas, drained
• 3 tablespoons cornflour/cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water to make a slurry (optional)

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Step 1 - First start on the rice. In a large heavy bottomed pot with a lid bring 6 cups of water to boil and add the rice. Place the lid on and steam without uncovering for 15 minutes. Then add the evaporated milk, sugar, cinnamon sticks and ground cinnamon and stir to thicken-it takes around 10 minutes or so to get it creamy and the rice soft.

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Step 2 - While the rice is steaming make the candied chickpeas. In another pot, bring the water, dark brown sugar, cinnamon stick, star anise and sugar to a boil and boil for 5 minutes. Add the chickpeas to the mixture and they will cook and darken in about 5 minutes. If the sauce isn't thick enough you can keep boiling for a little bit (but you want the chickpeas to retain their texture so don't cook for too long) and you can also add the cornflour slurry to the mixture to thicken it on a low heat.

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Step 3 - Serve the rice pudding in bowls and top with the candied chickpeas. Sprinkle with lime zest (this makes it amazing!).

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