We lived close to my primary school, so every week some friends and I would to run back to mine straight after school for tea. My mum was always prepared; most evenings she would cook one of her all-time favourite Mauritian dishes – where both my parents originally come from. As a kid I was in love with chicken macaroni, comforting daube stews, sweet potato cakes, pancakes or wholesome desserts such as rice pudding.
When I look back it seems all my strongest childhood memories are of the food my parents cooked.
Here is my mum’s recipe for rice pudding, which uses Indian spices such as cardamom and cinnamon. Any leftover rice pudding can be kept in the fridge for another day, and it can be eaten hot or cold. Let the kids top their puddings with other healthy treats like fresh berries, flaked almonds or jams as a fun interactive dessert. Enjoy!
I think my love of cooking came from memories like watching and helping mum in the kitchen, and still to this day I cook with my mum, although normally she is helping me out now. When I start a family I want to create moments like the ones I had, because it’s so important to teach kids about food – from where produce comes from to cooking and eating healthily.
In Mauritius they traditionally serve rice pudding scooped up in fresh hot puris (unleavened deep-fried breads) at weddings, but at home in the UK my mum would make a pot of warm, creamy, sweet rice flavoured with vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom and sultanas. It would be dished out in smaller bowls, topped with a little extra milk to swirl into it, and it was great to eat it warm.
For the rice pudding:
5 cups organic whole milk
7 ounces medium-grain rice
2 tablespoons vanilla sugar
2 ounces store-bought meringues, crumbled
Optional: a few wild strawberries, to serve
- Rice pudding is loved by everyone, and its one of my favorite desserts. Proper feel-good food, its gorgeous served on its own or with whatever fruit youve got knocking around. For me, though, the best way of eating it, especially in the summer, is really cold with hot strawberry jam. As an alternative, you can broil or roast peaches and plums to serve with it. Beautiful!
- I used to make jam with my mum when I was a kid. For a lovely fresh strawberry taste, I now use less sugar and I dont cook it for quite as long as my mum used to. Any leftover jam will keep in the fridge for a couple of weeks if you store it in a jar rinsed with boiling water, but youll probably find it gets eaten way before that! Its great served as a sauce alongside a tart, drizzled over ice cream or simply spread on a piece of toast or fresh bread.
Classic rice pudding – Mary Berry Everyday: Episode 5 Preview – BBC Two
FAQ
How to make rice pudding Jamie Oliver?
How to make rice pudding Nigella?
What is traditional rice pudding made of?
How do you make a good rice pudding?
Put the rice, milk, 200ml of water, half the maple syrup or honey and the vanilla into a large pan. Give it a good stir, then place the pan on a very low heat. Cook gently for around 45 minutes, or until thick and creamy, stirring regularly. Loosen the rice pudding with an extra splash of milk before serving, if needed.
What is the recipe for bread pudding with mixed spice?
Ingredients 3 eggs 1 and 1/4 cup of sugar 2 tablespoons vanilla essence 1 coffee spoon of nutmeg 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder 100 g of walnuts 100 g unsalted butter 2 tea cups of milk 6 stale French bread 200 g of raisins zest of 1 lemon Method of preparation In a bowl, place the eggs and beat until frothy. Add sugar, vanilla, spices, nuts, butter, milk and mix well. Add the pieces of bread, the raisins, the lemon zest and mix until the pieces of bread start to break up. Transfer to a greased shape and sprinkled with sugar. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C for twenty minutes.
How long do you cook rice pudding?
Cook gently for around 45 minutes, or until thick and creamy, stirring regularly. Loosen the rice pudding with an extra splash of milk before serving, if needed. Peel and slice the banana, then serve the rice pudding scattered with the blueberries and banana and the remaining maple syrup or honey drizzled on top.
How do you cook rice pudding in a homecooker?
Bring it to the boil, then reduce the temperature to 110°C and set the timer for 30 minutes. When the time’s up, the rice pudding should be lovely and creamy. Switch off the HomeCooker, pick out and discard the vanilla pod and cinnamon stick, then divide the rice pudding between your bowls and serve.