Pumpkin Rice Pudding—Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café

I found this recipe at the same time as the one for Pumpkin Pasta that I shared last month.  And when I found them, I had no idea whether either recipe would be any good.  I like having a variety of recipes that use pumpkin for two simple reasons:  1.  Pumpkins are easy to grow in most areas and store well for months in a root cellar.  2.  Cans of pumpkin puree sometimes go on deep discount and can be purchased cheaply and stored for years.  Simply put, pumpkins are good prepper food.  And they’re a rich source of vitamin A. 

That being said, I knew this Pumpkin Rice Pudding would be no match for the Pumpkin Pasta.  That dish is phenomenal.  Super tasty. And all food storage.  Of course, this rice pudding is also all food storage, so the Pumpkin Pasta can’t win on that point.  The Pumpkin Pasta wins simply because it is so delicious.

But that doesn’t mean Pumpkin Rice Pudding is lacking in merit.  It has its own good points.

Pumpkin Rice Pudding

1 cup dry milk powder

3 ¾ cups water

½ cup maple syrup

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

¼ teaspoon ground ginger

¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

¼ teaspoon salt

1 1/3 cups cooked long-grain rice

1 cup canned pumpkin puree

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Chopped toasted or candied pecans, for serving

In a 5 quart pan, gradually whisk the water into the powdered milk until smooth and no lumps remain.  Stir in the maple syrup, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, salt, and rice.  Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally.  After it comes to a boil, immediately lower the heat to simmer, stirring and watching carefully to prevent milk from boiling over.  Continue to cook, scraping and stirring the sides and bottom of the pot every few minutes to avoid sticking and scorching.  Adjust heat as necessary to maintain gentle bubbling 40-45 minutes, or until mixture is thickened and creamy. 

Place pumpkin puree in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Stir frequently, until puree is reduced to about 2/3 cup, about 10-15 minutes.  (Alternatively, use 3 tablespoons pumpkin powder whisked into 2/3 cup water.)

After rice is cooked, whisk pumpkin puree and vanilla into rice mixture.  Add a little milk, if needed, to thin.  Immediately spoon into serving bowls and top with cinnamon and chopped nuts and serve warm. Or, let cool completely, garnish, and serve for dessert.

Family reviews:  The original recipe title for this was Pumpkin Risotto, which suggests that it should have been a savory dish and would have been a good side for dinner.  Of course, the maple syrup might have clued me in otherwise had I spent any time thinking about it.  Risotto and rice pudding have very similar textures.  However, risotto is supposed to be savory while rice pudding is supposed to be sweet.  I served this as a side dish with pork chops because that is what I had planned.  However, both Aaron and I had to agree it was a little sweet for a dinner side.  But just a little sweet, and if you wanted to serve it for dinner, you certainly could.  That’s how we ate it—warm and with chopped pecans.  Tomorrow we’ll eat a little more as a dessert.