Hawaiian Rice Pudding - Quick, Easy & Delicious!

 

I have always loved rice pudding, and I don't care if it is the baked variety or cooked on top of the stove. I enjoy it both ways. It's not something that I grew up with, however. My brother didn't like rice, and my mother always catered to both his and our father's tastes. The only rice I ever had as a child was either at a Chinese Restaurant or of the instant kind. I know. I led a very narrow life, culinarily speaking, but didn't we all back then?  If you lived in a small town (and I did) "exotic" ingredients like rice just were not available!

Once I grew up and moved away from home, I discovered all sorts of wonderful things, one of them being Rice Pudding.  The first rice pudding I ever tasted was my mother-in-law's recipe and it was gorgeous. You can find that here.  The first year we were married my mother-in-law gifted me with a little handwritten notebook filled with all of the Ramsay family favorites. This was my cooking bible for many years.

And yes, Rice Pudding and I were destined to become very close friends.

 

This recipe for Hawaiian Rice Pudding that I am sharing with you today is a bit of a cheat really. It is composed mainly of store cupboard ingredients, in the way of a pouch of pre-cooked rice, and a few other bits and bobs. If you have a healthy store-cupboard like I have, this delicious dessert will never be very far away.

This is called Hawaiian because of the use of coconut milk and crushed pineapple. It is not a recipe from the actual Hawaiian Islands as far as I know.  I can promise you however that it is very quick and easy to make and it is delicious!  Rich and creamy, having a mild coconut flavor, with lots of bits of pineapple stirred throughout. 

This is a beautifully delicious Polynesian twist on a favorite classic dessert that you can be enjoying in as little as 20  to 25 minutes.

INGREDIENTS NEEDED TO MAKE HAWAIIAN RICE PUDDING

This delicious recipe requires only a few simple store cupboard ingredients.

• 1 pouch (2 serving side) already cooked Jasmine Rice
• 1 can (398ml/14 ounces) crushed pineapple
• 1 can (400ml/13 1/2 ounces) full fat coconut milk
• 2 TBS honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• hefty pinch of salt

To garnish: (optional)

• Toasted coconut
• Toasted chopped macadamia nuts
• Sliced banana

 

There are quite a few brands of already cooked rice out there.  The most common ones are Tilda and Bens. The Bens also comes in a larger pack now. Use the smaller pack which contains only 2 servings, or you can use about 1 1/2 cups of cooked rice.

In the U.K. crushed pineapple is called pineapple crush.  What crushed pineapple is, is small bits of pineapple in pineapple juice. There are very few large pieces. This is the ideal texture for this delicious pudding. Do not drain it.

Make sure you use the FULL FAT coconut milk and not the thinner one, or coconut water. 

Honey adds just the right amount of sweetness. You can tailor this to your own tastes. Don't leave out the salt. It only needs a pinch, but it does make a difference in flavor.

I chose to top mine with shredded toasted coconut. You can easily toast your own coconut (or nuts). Check out my instructions below.

NOTE: This pudding will thicken more upon standing, so do hold back a bit of the coconut milk to which in and thin it out.

HOW TO MAKE HAWAIIAN RICE PUDDING

Nothing could really be easier to make than this store cupboard favorite! 

1. Crumble the rice into a non-stick saucepan. Whisk in the coconut milk (reserve a little bit back for the end, about 1/2 cup )120ml).
2. Whisk in the undrained crushed pineapple. Whisk everything together to combine well.
3. Whisk in the cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly.
4. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for a further 10 to 12 minutes. The rice will have absorbed most of the liquid.
5. Remove it from the heat. It will thicken up on standing. If you prefer a creamier finish stir in the remaining coconut milk.
6. Serve warm or cold, spooned into bowls with your preferred garnish on top.

 

HINTS AND TIPS FOR SUCCESS

• Do crumble the rice so that you don't end up with lumps in your pudding.
• No need to drain the pineapple crush. You can also use chunk pineapple if that is all you have.
• Use FULL FAT coconut milk.  You can add extra at the end to give it a really creamy finish.
• Taste before serving. If you don't think it is sweet enough you can add a bit more honey.

HOW TO TOAST COCONUT or NUTS FOR THE GARNISH

You can easily toast shredded coconut or chopped nuts to use for the garnish. This can be done in the oven or in a skillet on top of the stove.

For the oven: Spread the coconut or nuts onto a baking sheet in a thin layer.  Toast in an oven preheated to 325*F/160*C for 5 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

For the top of the stove:  Spread into a non-stick skillet and heat over medium low heat. Toast, stirring frequently until they start to brown. Remove from the eat immediately as the heat from the skillet will continue to toast them and you risk it burning.

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

CAN I USE ANOTHER TYPE OF RICE? 

You can use any type of pre-cooked rice that you wish to use. Brown Rice. Basmati. Long Grain, etc. The only requirement is that it be in the same amount. You can also use leftover cooked rice that you have cooked yourself.

CAN I CUT THE RECIPE IN HALF?

Absolutely.  Amounts for a smaller recipe are 1 cup of cooked rice, 1 cup of coconut milk, 1 cup of crushed pineapple. 1 TBS honey, 1/4 tsp of cinnamon, 1/2 tsp vanilla and a small pinch of salt.

CAN I MAKE THIS AHEAD OF TIME?

Absolutely. It will keep up to three days chilled in the refrigerator. Simply add a bit more coconut milk and reheat gently in a saucepan over medium low heat, or in the top of a double boiler.

CAN THIS BE FROZEN?

Yes you can freeze this, but the texture may alter somewhat.  Thaw completely to serve and add a bit more coconut milk for a creamier finish, reheating gently in a saucepan over medium low heat, or the top of a double boiler.

 

A FEW

ADDITIONAL RECIPES USING PRE-COOKED RICE

LEMONY CHICKEN & RICE - This is a smaller batch slow cooker recipe for two but can easily be doubled to feed more and cooked in a larger crockpot. Tender lemony chicken with lemon, oregano, feta cheese, spinach, rice and cream. What's not to like? Oh yes, only one pot to clean when done. Another bonus!

TUNA & RICE MUFFINS WITH A LEMON BUTTER SAUCE - Simple store cupboard ingredients put together in the most delicious way. These delicious tuna and rice muffins are quick and easy to make. Do make the Butter Lemon Sauce. It is simply wonderful and can be put together while the muffins are baking. This can feed either 3 hungry eaters, or six light eaters. 

 

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Yield: 4 - 6 servings

Author: Marie Rayner

Hawaiian Rice Pudding

Prep time: 5 MinCook time: 15 MinTotal time: 20 Min

This is a fabulously delicious rice pudding that is super simple to make, using just a few ingredients and very little effort. Enjoy warm or cold.

Ingredients

• 1 pouch (2 serving side) already cooked Jasmine Rice
• 1 can (398ml/14 ounces) crushed pineapple
• 1 can (400ml/13 1/2 ounces) full fat coconut milk
• 2 TBS honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• hefty pinch of salt

To garnish: (optional)

• Toasted coconut
• Toasted chopped macadamia nuts
• Sliced banana

Instructions

1. Crumble the rice into a non-stick saucepan. Whisk in the coconut milk (reserve a little bit back for the end, about 1/2 cup )120ml).
2. Whisk in the undrained crushed pineapple. Whisk everything together to combine well.
3. Whisk in the cinnamon, vanilla and salt. Bring just to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly.
4. Lower the heat to medium low and simmer, stirring occasionally, for a further 10 to 12 minutes. The rice will have absorbed most of the liquid.
5. Remove it from the heat. It will thicken up on standing. If you prefer a creamier finish stir in the remaining coconut milk.
6. Serve warm or cold, spooned into bowls with your preferred garnish on top.

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