Turkish Rice Pudding (Sütlaç)

A gently sweet, creamy Turkish rice pudding served chilled with Jasmine’s cinnamon finish.

Recipe details

• Yield: 6 small servings
• Preparation time: 10 minutes
• Cooking time: About 40 minutes
• Chilling time: At least 4 hours
• Total time: About 4 hours 50 minutes

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (90 g) short-grain white rice
• 1 1/4 cups (300 ml) water
• 4 1/4 cups (1 litre) whole milk, divided
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons (15 g) cornstarch
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, or as needed for serving
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped unsalted pistachios, optional

Kitchen notes

• Cook the rice until completely tender before adding the milk.
• Keep the milk at a gentle simmer and stir frequently so it does not scorch.
• The pudding should still be pourable when it leaves the stove; it thickens considerably as it chills.
• Cinnamon is Jasmine’s customary finish. Add a little chopped pistachio only if you would like the optional variation.

Method

1. Rinse the rice briefly under cool water and drain it.
2. Combine the rice and water in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring to a gentle simmer, then cook over low heat for 18 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the rice is extremely tender and nearly all the water has been absorbed.
3. Reserve 1/2 cup (120 ml) of the cold milk. Add the remaining milk to the saucepan and stir well.
4. Return the mixture to a gentle simmer. Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan so the milk does not scorch.
5. Whisk the cornstarch into the reserved cold milk until completely smooth. Slowly pour this slurry into the saucepan while stirring continuously.
6. Cook gently for another 4 to 5 minutes, stirring, until the pudding lightly coats the spoon but remains pourable.
7. Stir in the sugar and salt. Continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the sugar has dissolved, then remove the saucepan from the heat.
8. Divide the pudding among six small ceramic bowls. Let it cool for about 30 minutes, cover, and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
9. Finish each bowl with a restrained dusting of cinnamon immediately before serving. Add finely chopped pistachios only if desired.

Creamy, softly set texture

Optional pistachio variation

Cinnamon remains the primary finish. For extra color and a gentle nutty contrast, add a small sprinkle of finely chopped unsalted pistachios just before serving.