Sweet Black Rice Pudding with Coconut Ice

By: J. Lovell

Rinse the black rice.* Option: For a stickier texture, add water to cover the rice and soak for 1 hour at room temperature, or overnight in the fridge. The longer the soaking time, the stickier the rice will be.
Drain the rice.
Add the rice to a small saucepan with 2 cups of water and cook over medium heat. When the water starts to boil, reduce to low heat and cover the pot with a lid. Cook for 35 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the rice rest, covered, for 10 minutes. *Alternatively, you can use a rice cooker for this step.
4. Fluff the rice and sprinkle over 2 tbsp sugar and salt while the rice is still hot. Mix until dissolved. Taste and add more sugar if you prefer it sweeter.
Stir occasionally for the next 10 minutes until the rice thickens into a pudding-like consistency.
For the icy coconut milk, in a blender combine the coconut milk, sugar, and ice cubes. Pulse until the ice cubes are crushed into small pieces.
To serve, Spoon the black rice into serving bowls, pour the coconut ice mixture. Top with lychee and grapes (or your favourite seasonal fruit/nuts) for a refreshing and colourful finish.
Enjoy warm or chilled.