Black Rice Pudding with sweetened coconut
Black Rice is becoming the new "it" organic food and the attention it is getting is well deserved. The myriad of health benefits that this super food provides are staggering.
Health Benefits
The consumption of black rice has shown evidence of decreases in risk for heart disease and cancer. High blood pressure, circulation and overall health seems to be maintained well by those who have added black rice to their diet.
Black rice has anti-inflammatory properties and is considered to be an excellent source of antioxidants. This is important because heart disease is caused by inflammation. We want to keep inflammation out of our bodies!
Black rice is typically sold as an unmilled rice, meaning that the fiber-rich black husks of the rice are not removed.
Soaking and cooking reveals the true color of the rice-purple! Because Black Rice retains it's hard outer shell, it is best to soak the rice overnight before cooking.
I measure out my rice, cover with twice the amount of water, cover and put in the refrigerator overnight. I have left it in the refrigerator for a couple of days before cooking and it has been o.k.
Black Rice is a sticky glutenous rice which makes it perfect for desserts. Black Rice can be cooked with plain water or juice. I prefer cooking with coconut water.
To cook Black Rice: Soak black rice overnight. Rinse the soaked rice and cook in rice cooker as you would white or brown rice. If there is still liquid on top of the rice when it has finished cooking, just stir it into the rice. the rice will absorb any extra liquid.
If you do not soak the Black Rice before cooking, it will take three times longer to cook!
This photo is of the black rice soaking. The water turns purple as it soaks.
For Black Rice pudding:
Coconut water (2 cups of coconut water to every cup of rice) and 3 tsp of raw sugar to the Black Rice in rice cooker. Cook according to rice cooker manufacturers directions. When the rice has cooled, spoon rice into dessert dishes, pour on a little chilled coconut milk and top with sweetened coconut flakes. Yum!
Nice post on black rice. I didn't know black rice existed until I saw it in the asian section the other day. I am making it right now. It's really nutty and good.
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