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Nicaraguan arroz con coco
Sweet coconut rice pudding with cinnamon, raisins and clove, from Nicaragua's Caribbean coast
On Nicaragua's Caribbean coast, around Bluefields and the Corn Islands, coconut is in almost everything, and arroz con coco is a sweet spoon dessert rather than a side dish. Rice is simmered in fresh coconut milk with cinnamon, a clove or two and raisins until creamy and thick, then served warm or chilled, often after lunch or at Christmas. It's lighter and more fragrant than a milk rice pudding and naturally dairy free. Chef's tip: stir the coconut milk in two stages; adding it all at once at the start makes the fat split and the rice greasy.
- Total time
- 45 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 6
Ingredients
Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Put 5 ½ oz short- or medium-grain white rice, 2 cups water, 1 cinnamon stick, 2 whole cloves and 1 pinch salt in a heavy pan. Simmer over a medium heat for 12–15 minutes, stirring now and then, until the water is almost absorbed and the rice is soft.
15 minStep 2: Pour in half of 1 ¾ cups coconut milk and 3 ⅛ oz sugar. Simmer gently over a low heat for 10 minutes, stirring often, until thick.
10 minStep 3: Add the rest of 1 ¾ cups coconut milk and 1 ¾ oz raisins and cook for 10–12 minutes more, stirring, until creamy and loose, like porridge; it thickens a lot as it cools. Common mistake: cooking it until stiff in the pan; it sets almost solid once cold.
12 minStep 4: Take out the cinnamon and cloves and stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Step 5: Serve warm, or chill in bowls, with a dusting of 1 pinch ground cinnamon.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 400 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 46 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nicaraguan arroz con coco take?
- About 45 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 40 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 6 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of short- or medium-grain white rice?
- Any long-grain rice, same amount.
- What can I use instead of cinnamon stick?
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon per stick.
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