A lot of my childhood memories revolve around my grandparent’s house.
My parents have always worked full time, so when I was young I would go to my grandma’s after school and on the holidays. My cousins would be there too and they are boys, so we would get up to all sorts of mischief.
I fondly remember my grandma chasing my cousin around with a long wooden spoon in her hand after he had done something wrong. I thought it was hilarious.
I also fondly remember all of her cooking. She would make us pancakes every morning, would roll out homemade filo pastry for Greek pies (pita) on the dining room table as we hid underneath, would cook us egg and lemon soup (avgolemono) whenever we got sick and when I asked her nicely, she would spend an hour over the stove stirring a big pot of rice pudding (rizogalo) just for me.
She would pour it into small bowls and dust it with Dutch cinnamon, and I would eat it for days, because it is just as good cold from the fridge as it is warm from the stove.
So then recently when I was sick and at home on the couch reading Brown Eyed Baker’s rice pudding post, it had me inspired to make my Greek grandma’s rice pudding, because it is the perfect comfort food on a cold day.
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp long grain rice
- 1 cup water
- pinch salt
- 3 cups milk
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla
- cinnamon, for dusting
- In a medium pot, combine the rice, water and salt. Set it onto a low heat, cover it and let it cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until most of the water is absorbed.
- Meanwhile, boil the milk in a small pot.
- Once the rice has absorbed the water, add the boiling milk to the rice. Stir, then add the sugar and vanilla, mixing well.
- Bring the mixture to the boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer, uncovered, for about 45 minutes. Check on it and stir it frequently, particularly towards the end of the cooking time so it doesn't burn.
- Dust with cinnamon and serve. Whatever you don't eat warm, refrigerate. Makes 3 - 4 small serves and can be easily doubled (although you may need to allow longer for the rice to absorb the water).
- Keep refrigerated.
- NB: I don't like very sweet rice pudding, so if you do, up the sugar by 1 or 2 tablespoons.
Adapted from my Grandma.