Port Royal Rice Pudding - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups water
1 cup arborio rice
2 (12 ounce) cans evaporated milk
1 cinnamon stick
1 slice fresh ginger (a coin shaped slice,peeled, about 1/2 inch thick)
1 lime, juice and peel of (two 1 in wide strip of peel with none of the white)
1/4 cup desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar or 1 cup Splenda granular
1/4 cup raisins (soaked in enough rum -Malibu is good- to plump the raisins, discard the rum not absorbed or add it t)
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut
1 1/2 teaspoons rum extract (ye may wish to skip this or alter the amount if ye have chosen to use the real stuff!)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Garnish
ground cinnamon
finely shredded fresh lime zest

Preparation

Mix the water and rice in large saucepan. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours.
Add evaporated milk, cinnamon stick, ginger, lime peel and juice, desiccated coconut and salt to rice mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in sugar and raisins.
Continue cooking for 40 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until rice is tender and mixture is smooth. You may need to add more water if rice mix is getting too dry or stiff and is not yet cooked to tender.
Discard cinnamon stick, ginger and lime peel. Stir in the sweetened shredded coconut and rum extract if using in place of the rum. Spoon into dessert cups. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours. Sprinkle with ground cinnamon and fine grated lime zest before serving.