Ground-Rice Pudding (Mehallabia) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1/3 cup raisins
2 tablespoons hot water
1 1/8 cups uncooked long-grain white rice
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
3 1/2 cups hot milk (140 F)
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons chopped pistachios
2 teaspoons rose water (can use a sprinkle of cinnamon instead)

Preparation

In a small bowl, soak raisins in hot water. In a blender, process rice 5 minutes on high.
In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, ground rice and cornstarch. Stirring constantly over medium heat, gradually add milk; continue stirring until slightly thickened. Simmer 15 minutes.
Preheat oven to 400\u00b0F. Butter a 9-inch baking dish; set aside.
Drain and dry raisins. Stir soaked raisins, vanilla, and pistachios into pudding. Pour into buttered dish.
Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until a brown crust forms. Stir crust into pudding; set aside to cool.
Sprinkle pudding with rose water or ground cinnamon. Serve warm with half and half or, refrigerate 3 to 4 hours before serving.