Arroz Con Leche

A little introduction before starting, so there is always a misconception that Arroz con Leche which in English is Rice Pudding, came from Latin America but in reality its origin is from Asia. Over time it expanded all over Europe and Africa where it was exported to America after colonization. Since it has a lot of variations in its preparations, many think that its origin is from Spain, but historians have been able to locate the preparation in Asia before the coming of Marco Polo. Now, it has been modified and through time Arroz con Leche came to be where in Latin America it has become a famous cultural food. 

Rice: 1 cup

Milk: 1 liter 

Water: 1 liter

Sweetened Condensed Milk: 14 oz

1 stick of cinnamon

Sauce Pan

Knowing the difference between cooking with water or milk first is very important because the goal is to make the rice spongy and soft. So before going straight into boiling the milk, the first thing is to boil the water.

• Add 1 liter of water and a stick of cinnamon to the sauce pan and bring water to a boil. 

Once water is boiling add the rice and wait till rice is tender for approximately 15 minutes. It is important to check up on the rice every 5 minutes in the span of 15 minutes to make sure it is cooked properly. After 5 minutes have passed add milk to the pot, let it sit in the time span the 15 minutes are going.

• Once rice is cooked, drain out any water and remove the cinnamon stick.

In order to sweetened the Arroz con Leche sweetened condensed milk should be added and cook at a medium-high heat until boiling. Check every minute to see that the rice does not stick to the pan.

Lastly, once boiling, reduce the heat to low and stir constantly until the mixture is thick. (20 minutes).Once thick, the Arroz con Leche is ready to serve!

• The dish can be served: cold, hot, warm, alone, or accompanied.