Sunday

Today, instead of doing any substantial cleaning, I chose to take the majority of my food items, most of which were close to their expiration date, and go on a cooking frenzy. The result: Massaman curry, spicy slow-cooked chicken (that will be a great burrito-filler or omelet addition), pear, date, and raspberry compote, chai-infused rice pudding, and some flat bread that will be grilled in the very near future. I am most pleased with the rice pudding and the fact that the pudding and flat bread were the only items to require a recipe, both of which I tweaked a decent amount. I haven't spent much time preparing my meals over the past couple weeks and was experiencing serious withdrawal today.
Here's the recipe, provided by the great Alton Brown, with changes that I made. I'd say my version is less Indian, more Thai.

Indian Rice Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 cup cooked long grain or basmati rice (I used Jasmine)
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 3/4 cup coconut milk
• 2 ounces sugar, approximately 1/4 cup
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom ( I didn't have this, so I steeped 2 chai teabags in a little hot milk, and added approx 1/8 teaspoon of coriander for no good reason, and then 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract) 
• 1 1/2 ounces golden raisins, approximately 1/3 cup
• 1 1/2 ounces chopped unsalted pistachios, approximately 1/3 cup
• I omitted the raisins, because I didn't have any, and the pistachios because i didn't trust the texture...also I didn't have any.

Directions

In a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat, combine the cooked rice and milk. Heat until the mixture begins to boil. Decrease the heat to low and cook at a simmer until the mixture begins to thicken, stirring frequently, approximately 5 minutes.

Increase the heat to medium, add the heavy cream, coconut milk,sugar, and cardamom and continue to cook until the mixture just begins to thicken again, approximately 5 to 10 minutes. Use a whisk to help prevent the cardamom from clumping. Once the mixture just begins to thicken, remove from the heat and stir in the raisins and pistachios. Transfer the mixture to individual serving dishes or a glass bowl and place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding. Serve chilled or at room temperature.