If kheer and mango sticky rice had a baby, it would be this saffron pistachio rice pudding with mangos. Jasmine rice is simmered in soy milk with saffron, pistachios, almonds, and plenty of cardamom, then paired with a thick coconut sauce and mangos. Summer is calling!
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I was thinking, if we play matchmaker with kheer, an Indian rice pudding with notes of saffron, pistachios, and almonds, and Thai mango sticky rice, with a shorter grain rice and hint of coconut…yeah that would be great. I’m conflicted about what to call it but let’s go with saffron pistachio rice pudding with mangos. It takes some elements of two icons and fuses them!
How to Make Saffron Pistachio Rice Pudding with Mangos
the rice and the milk
I wanted to use a rice that cooked to a texture in between glutinous sticky rice used in mango sticky rice and long-grain basmati rice, where the grain stay separate and slender in kheer. Enter: jasmine rice, the happy medium.
Likewise, I wanted to use a milk that wasn’t nearly as thick as coconut milk, but not as watery as typical store-bought almond milk. So you start with cooking the jasmine rice in soy milk, which for some reason is great for making vegan kheer, though I suspect a store bought oat milk should also work because of the creamier texture.
the spices, nuts, and flavors
This part is wholly inspired by kheer, which I only recently fell in love with after low-key hating it for most of my childhood. You grind cardamom, cinnamon, and some of the pistachios and almonds. Soak saffron in warm milk (just microwave), which enhances its flavor. Add the spices, nuts, a little sugar, and saffron.
sweet coconut sauce
Now we make a sweet coconut sauce, which is typically used to pour over in mango sticky rice, so we’re going to do the same thing. Combine coconut milk which cornstarch slurry and heat it in a pan for a few minutes to thicken.
the mangos
Gather the ripe mangoes. Slice. Enter a state of bliss. I hope this recipe takes you somewhere!
Saffron Pistachio Rice Pudding with Mangos
Ingredients
- ½ cup jasmine rice
- 6 cups soy milk *see note for sweetness
- 6 green cardamom pods
- 1 inch cinnamon
- ⅓ cup pistachios, chopped
- ⅓ cup almonds, chopped
- 1.5 tbsp sugar
- 10-12 strands of saffron, soaked in 2 tbsp warm soy milk
- 4 ripe mangos, peeled and sliced
- mint leaves optional for garnishing
coconut sauce
- ¾ cup coconut milk
- ½ tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Soak rice in water for 30 mins while preparing other ingredients. This will speed up cooking time.
- Use a mortar and pestle to crush the cardamom pods and cinnamon into a fine powder. Alternatively, process the cardamom pods in a spice grinder with ~ a third of the pistachios and almonds. Chop the remaining pistachios and almonds. Soak the saffron in warm milk.
- In a medium saucepan, add milk. Bring to a rolling boil, careful not to let the milk stick to the pan. Use a nonstick saucepan if possible.
- Add rice, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for ~20 minutes until rice is cooked.
- Add the spice mixture, sugar, chopped nuts, and saffron. Cook for ~5 more mins on low. Top with some more pistachios and almonds. Serve chilled or warm depending on your preference.
- For the coconut sauce, prepare a cornstarch slurry by mixing the cornstarch with water. Pour into the coconut milk. Heat for a few minutes in a pan over medium heat until it bubbles and starts to thicken. Pour a spoon or a few before serving! Finish with mangos.
Notes
If you like this saffron pistachio rice pudding with mangos, you should definitely separate the components and try…
Vegan Kheer (Indian Rice Pudding)
