Choose rice that can soften into the liquid
Short-grain white rice releases starch as it cooks and suits this spoonable pudding. The aim is a creamy mixture with recognizable grains, rather than separate, fluffy rice. Rinsing once removes loose surface dust without trying to wash away every trace of starch.
Canned full-fat coconut milk brings body. Stir the can before measuring so the cream and thinner liquid are combined. A carton of coconut drink has a different composition and is not a direct replacement for the ingredient used here.
A gentle simmer needs occasional attention
Rice settles at the bottom of a saucepan, where it can catch before the rest of the pudding looks thick. Stir across the base every few minutes with a spoon or flexible spatula. Keep the heat low enough for small, steady bubbles.
If the liquid becomes tight before the rice is tender, add a little water. If the rice is tender but the pudding seems loose, remember that it thickens as it cools. Avoid reducing it to a stiff mass while it is still over the heat.
Fresh lime after cooking
Zest gives the pudding a lime aroma without much extra liquid. Add it after the pan leaves the heat and grate only the colored outer layer. The white pith can taste bitter against the mild coconut.
Serve warm after a brief rest, or refrigerate promptly for a chilled dessert. Stir a little water into a cold portion if it has become too thick. This recipe is a simple coconut dessert and does not claim to reproduce a particular traditional rice pudding.
