Balinese Black Rice Pudding

Tomorrow I intend to start counselling. It will be short and I'm sure it will be successful. For the past few weeks I have been manifesting an obsession with coconut. Today, it ends.

I did mention on Wednesday that for many of us in the UK coconut is an ingredient which we find only in sweet things. When I travel east, that's virtually never a problem. I can probably count on the fingers of one hand desserts which I have sampled east of Europe which have been anything other than disgusting. (I exempt ice cream from this sweeping generalisation.)

And one glorious (for me at least - L hates it) exception to my doubtful rule comes from Bali. I've never made today's featured dish but on checking I discover that the ingredient which sets it aside from other rice puddings is - yes, you've guessed it - coconut milk. So what better way to sign off before kicking the habit?

Typically this is a fairly sweet dish. Adjust the sugar to suit. You can garnish with whatever you fancy. Ripe bananas or mangoes work well. I have seen more complex recipes which call for cinnamon and pandan leaves. This is a very straightforward one.

You'll probably have to go to a wholefood shop to get your rice. It's similar to brown rice, high in fibre and requiring more cooking. Pre soaking is essential. Start this the day before you plan to serve it. My mum would cook her rice pud in the oven. Ovens aren't that common in Bali, so I'm passing on the recipe as I found it.

Ingredients

125g black rice; 250ml coconut milk; 375ml water; 2 tbsp palm sugar (use light brown if you don't have palm); pinch of salt.

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Wash the rice well and soak in water for at least six hours.

Put the rice in a heavy bottomed pan with the coconut milk, water and salt.  Bring to the boil then reduce to a low heat.

Cooking, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is almost absorbed and the rice is cooked evenly. Remember that the pudding will continue to thicken as it starts to cool.

Add the palm sugar at the end and check the sweetness.

Recipe Challenge

Reviewing the past few months of Tom Cooks! I notice we have perhaps been a bit meat heavy. I'm therefore declaring that for the month of March the column will be a meat free one. I'd like to enlist your help. Can you please send me your favourite vegetarian or vegan recipe, with a picture of the dish if possible, plus a picture of yourself. Email is best for me - tgj52a@outlook.com