Japanese short-grain rice is such a versatile ingredient, you can eat it plain, flavoured, in risottos and even in puddings or in drinks. This Japanese rice pudding is made with matcha green tea powder and clotted cream and takes less than 30 minutes to whip up. You can serve it hot or cold (I prefer it cold) topped with luscious Maraschino or cocktail cherries. The pudding is unctuously rich due to the clotted cream and will keep for days in the fridge so make a big batch. It has become one of our household favourites!
Ingredients
- 4 oz/2/3 cup (120 g) shortgrain white rice
- 28 fl oz/3 1/3 cups (800 ml) whole milk
- 1 tbsp matcha green tea powder
- 3½-5½oz/½–¾ cup (100-150 g) caster (superfine) sugar
- 8 oz (225 g) clotted cream
- 3½ oz (100 g) Maraschino cherries in syrup, or other good-quality black cocktail cherries in syrup, cut into halves. Alternatively, use fresh raspberries
How to Make It
- Wash the rice in a bowl with plenty of fresh water using a circular motion with your hand. Drain the water and repeat 3 or 4 times until the water runs clear. Transfer the rice to a sieve (strainer) and let it drain for 15 minutes.
- Add the milk and rice to a non-stick pan. Over a medium heat, bring the mixture to the boil stirring constantly so it does not burn and stick. As it reaches boiling point, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often.
- Meanwhile, place the matcha powder in a tall plastic bowl or measuring jug (pitcher), add a couple of tablespoons of the hot milk and whisk vigorously to dissolve the matcha powder. I find an electric hand blender is a great help for this. Ensure that there are no matcha lumps left.
- After 20 minutes of simmering, when most of the milk has evaporated, the mixture is thick and the rice is very soft, add the dissolved matcha powder and sugar to the pan. Stir well until completely combined then turn off the heat. Check for sweetness and add more sugar if desired as the astringency of the matcha powder will vary depending on its quality and provenance. Finally, add the clotted cream, mixing it well into the matcha rice pudding.
- Ladle into 4 individual bowls, let it cool down, cover and refrigerate for a couple of hours. To serve, top with the Maraschino cherries and a drizzle of their syrup and enjoy.
