This was an interesting recipe that caught my eye from Endangered Recipes, by Lari Robling. I like this cookbook because it has a lot of comfort food and recipes that perhaps your mom used to make but also, this exotic, out-of-the-ordinary, carrot pudding. I made it a couple of weeks ago and really liked it. It’s got a bright orange color and is a little spicy and creamy. When jwa first tried it he said the first bite reminded him of curry, but then it was a little sweet.
Because of the prep and cooking time (2.5 hours) this is probably best for a weekend cooking project. If you have the time, it’s nice to have a pot of this simmering away on the stove — it’s definitely worth giving a try!
Carrot Pudding (Gajraila from Pakistan)
1 quart milk (I used whole milk because we had some but 2 percent would probably work)
1/4 cup basmati rice
1 pound carrots, scrubbed and grated
1/2 cup sugar (or more, depending on taste)
3/4 tsp ground cardamom
1/2 cup golden raisins
1/4 cup shelled pistachios
Pour milk into a sauce pan and add rice — soak for 30 minutes.
Add carrots, sugar and cardamom to the milk and rice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 1 1/2 hours, stirring occasionally. Taste. Add more sugar if desired. An immersion blender can be used if you want a creamier texture. (Mine was pretty creamy just from the cooking). Finally, add the raisins and cook for 30 minutes longer.
When pudding is done, transfer to a serving dish or individual bowls. Garnish the top with the pistachios and more raisins. The recipe says to serve chilled, but I actually liked it a little warm. In fact, throughout the week, I would heat some up in the microwave for a minute or so before eating.
