Lebanese Rice Pudding (Riz bi Haleeb)
Simple Lebanese rice pudding (Riz bi Haleeb) prepared with just 6 ingredients (plus the toppings!) and in under 30 minutes. This dessert is creamy, cozy, satisfying, and lightly scented with either orange blossom or rose water.
Servings: 4
Ingredients
- 3.2 oz rice short grain, 1/2 cup
- 16 fl oz water 2 cups
- 16 fl oz whole milk 2 cups - or 2% (won't be as creamy)
- 4.2 fl oz cream heavy cream/double cream; 1/2 cup
- 0.45 oz cornstarch 2 Tbsp
- 1.4 oz white sugar 3 Tbsp or raw cane sugar, rice syrup/ You can experiment with sugars (color and taste will vary)
- 1/2 tsp orange blossom water OR rosewater you can use one or a combination of the two. Adjust to taste
- 1/8 tsp mastic powder OPTIONAL
Instructions
Step 1: Cook the rice
- First, wash the rice well. To do so, fill a bowl with water and swish the rice until the water is milky. Then, drain and re-fill the bowl until the water is almost clear (usually 3-4 times).
- Then, add the rice to a large pan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender (not al dente).
Step 2: Add the remaining ingredients
- While the rice cooks, prepare the cornstarch slurry by combining the starch with a small amount of the milk, whisking until it’s smooth and lump-free.
- Then, once the rice is tender, add the cornstarch slurry and the remaining milk, cream, sugar, and mastic powder (if used).There’s no need to drain the rice first. The small amount of starchy water left in the pot will become part of the dessert.
- Bring the mixture to a soft boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook for several minutes until it thickens.
Step 3: Cool and serve the Riz bi Haleeb
- Finally, remove the creamy pudding from the heat and stir in the flavoring (either orange blossom water or rose water), mixing well to incorporate. Allow the mixture to cool slightly (not too long as it will thicken up fairly quickly), then transfer to small serving glasses/bowl.
- When you’re ready to serve, serve with a topping of ground pistachios, dried rose petals, a sprinkling of cinnamon, and a drizzle of honey or simple syrup. Enjoy warm, at room temperature, or chilled!
How to Store
- Make-Ahead: You can use leftover cooked rice to prepare this Riz bi Haleeb (method in recipe notes). Store: Allow it to cool before storing any leftovers in the fridge for 4-5 days. I recommend storing with a layer of plastic wrap directly over the surface of the pudding. That way, it will stop skin from forming over the surface (if you prefer it that way). Reheat: You can enjoy it chilled, at room temperature, or warm. Reheat on the stovetopwave (optionally, or in the micro with an extra splash of milk to help loosen it up if needed).
Notes
Adjust the amount of sugar: This can easily be adjusted to taste -so feel free to only add a little to begin and then increase to taste. This is especially important when substituting white sugar.
Adjust the flavoring: Likewise, adjust the amount of rosewater/ orange blossom water based on how strong you’d like the flavor.
Cooking time may vary: Especially if you use a different variety of rice.
If the rice pudding is too thin/thick: If it’s too thin, you can add a little more cornstarch (around a teaspoon, in a slurry). If it’s too thick, add a little more milk (a few spoonfuls at a time) – until it reaches your desired consistency.
To make rice pudding with leftover rice: Simply skip the first rice cooking step and start on the stovetop when adding the remaining ingredients. This version won’t be quite as creamy, as there will be no starchy cooking water and leftover rice dries out as it sits in the refrigerator. However, it will be more chewy/textured.
Optional Add-ins and Variations: butter (to make it creamier), cardamom, dried fruit (finely chopped dates, dried apricots, raisins), jam (for extra flavor).
Check the blog post for more ingredient notes and FAQs!
Nutrition
Calories: 244kcal | Carbohydrates: 22g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 185mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 658IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 1mg