“Ribbons of red
In pure white,
A dash of color
In plain sight,
A subtle tartness
With bite sweet,
Feeling of comfort
In a mid-week treat,
Like lightening it strikes
Fresh & cool,
Take a spoonful
And wipe that drool..”
I find comfort in colors. Specially when the sun is beating relentlessly on our heads all summer long.
Fruits & berries with their vibrance, sweetness mixed with tartness and natural pigments are my eternal favorites. Shamelessly showing off their hues in every farmers market or supermarket, these have more potential than you can imagine. Not only do they add a fresh flavor to desserts & salads, they are also packed with more nutrients than any diet plan you may be on! I experiment with fruits very often, and this pudding was not only embarrassingly easy, but also had the simplest flavors that were delicious and refreshing.
Sometimes we forget that tasty does not have to be complicated. Hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!
Ingredients
For the kheer
3 cups whole milk
3 tablespoons rice, washed
5 tablespoons brown sugar (or adjust to taste)
¼ teaspoon vanilla essence
2 tablespoons fresh cream
For the fruit coulis
½ cup fresh pomegranate seeds
½ cup fresh blueberries
3 tablespoons brown sugar
1 cup water
Make the kheer
Bring the milk to boil. Add the rice and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally till the rice is fully cooked. Mash the rice slightly with a spatula, and add the sugar. Continue to cook till the sugar has melted and the pudding reached a semi thich consistency. Turn off the heat and stir in the cream & vanilla. Keep aside to cool (Note: the pudding will get thicker once cooled)
Make the coulis
Bring to boil the water and sugar. Add the pomegranate, cover and cook on medium heat till the seeds have broken down slightly and begin to soften (unlike other fruits, pomegranate seeds take a long time to soften, so it is fine to leave them with a bite, as long as some of the pulp starts to break down). Add the blueberries, and continue to cook till the blueberries swell up. Using a spoon, mash the blueberries and some of the pomegranate seeds. Remove cover, cook till you get a jam like consistency. Remove from heat and cool.
Layer the rice pudding with the fruit coulis and serve chilled. A refreshing and wholesome way to enjoy what summer has to offer.
