THE SWEET RICE PUDDING STORY

As a youngster I did not realize that rice pudding may be as universal as chicken soup. I considered it a Jewish dessert. Why? Maybe because it was a standard item at Jewish delicatessens. Most likely, though, because it was a familiar treat in the Jewish-American home of my childhood in Washington, D.C.

My mother, who was born in Warsaw, baked it with eggs, sugar, vanilla and cinnamon. In Paris, the rice puddings I tasted were often flavored with creme fraiche and perfumed with vanilla beans.

As I explored different styles of cooking, I kept running into rice puddings. They seemed to be everywhere, even in places where rice is not a major component of the diet, like Russia. Polish cooks top their puddings with sour cream, Greeks accent theirs with lemon, and Puerto Ricans add coconut and ginger.

I began to wonder who deserves credit for coming up with this wonderful way of preparing rice. Was it the farmhouse cooks of Normandy and Brittany in western France who boast recipes that demand hours of baking, stirring and gradually adding more milk? If effort counts, they might have a claim. The French could also argue that they win the prize for the most elaborate rice pudding interpretations, created by chefs for kings, including towering masterpieces set with gelatin, enriched with whipped cream and laden with candied fruits.

It turns out that this old-fashioned dessert has always been a favorite of my husband. Yet Yakir grew up enjoying it on the opposite side of the world from me, in the Middle East. When his mother felt like pampering the kids, she prepared ``rice in milk`` and gently spiced it with cinnamon, ginger, cloves and cardamom.

Cooks farther east, in India, definitely deserve recognition for their distinctive sweet rice puddings. Their tempting renditions feature aromatic basmati rice combined with nuts and saffron and topped with silver leaf. Besides, they have plenty of experience with rice. Archeological rice remains show that India has been cultivating rice for about 5,000 years, according to Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid`s comprehensive and beautiful work, ``Seductions of Rice`` (Artisan, 1998).

I love rice pudding as much as Yakir does, and I don`t know which of us was wilder about our latest discovery, Thai sweet coconut rice with mango. We tasted it recently at the lively Thai New Year celebration at the Wat Thai Temple in North Hollywood, Calif., the largest Theravada Buddhist temple in the United States.

Who originated this creamy comfort food may be lost in history. But there is little dispute about rice pudding`s widespread popularity. Unlike most dishes, people around the globe agree on how they like this homey treat. It should be soft, sweet and simple. Depending on the weather, it can be warm or cold.

Variations are usually subtle. Different varieties of the star ingredient, such as sticky rice, jasmine, Texmati or Louisiana Wild Pecan Rice, lend their own tastes and aromas. The milk is important also. Clearly, cows` milk, coconut milk and almond milk, all of which are traditional, give dissimilar effects. The milk`s richness counts too, as do such enhancements as butter, cream and eggs.

Usually rice pudding is sweetened with white or brown sugar, honey or dried fruit, but you can also use maple syrup, jam, date sugar or fruit juice concentrate. Vanilla rivals cinnamon as the spice of choice. Mediterranean cooks like citrus too, whether it`s the Provencal predilection for lemon and orange zest or the Moroccan preference for orange flower water. Iranians scent their sweet rice with rose water.

Fortunately, this time-honored dessert can be easily adapted to modern schedules. Over the years I`ve found ways to make it fast, easy and nutritious. To speed up the cooking, I begin by boiling the rice briefly in water because rice cooks faster this way than when it is started directly in milk. I opt for arborio or other short-grain rice, which makes my pudding creamy even when I use low-fat or nonfat milk.

Fruit, whether fresh, dried or candied, is the pudding`s perfect partner. Cooks from France to Thailand recognize how well-suited the sweet-tart taste of fruit is to this classic comfort food. During the warm season, I pair my pudding with peaches, nectarines, apricots and berries -- and, of course, luscious ripe mangoes.

RICE PUDDING WITH MANGOES AND DRIED CHERRIES

Cooking rice with milk and sugar turns it into a creamy rice pudding even when you use nonfat milk. Of course, you can use milk of any degree of richness. If you prefer, use canned unsweetened coconut milk or serve the pudding sprinkled with a little toasted coconut.

This dessert gains flavor and aroma from freshly grated lemon rind and a vanilla bean and is studded with flavorful dried cherries. For a bit of punch, you can accent your pudding with a few tablespoons of finely chopped candied ginger when you remove it from the heat. Top it with the best quality of ripe fresh fruit you can find.

6 cups water

1 cup arborio or other short-grained rice

4 cups milk, nonfat, low-fat or regular

1 vanilla bean

Dash salt

6 tablespoons sugar

Grated zest of 1 lemon

1/3 cup dried cherries or cranberries or golden raisins

2 to 3 ripe mangoes or 4 to 5 ripe peaches or nectarines

Mint sprigs, optional

Bring water to boil in large, heavy saucepan and add rice. Boil uncovered 7 minutes. Drain well.

Bring milk and vanilla bean to boil in same saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally. Add rice and salt and cook uncovered over medium-low heat, stirring often, until rice is very soft and absorbs most of milk, about 15 minutes. (Rice should look creamy, not soupy and not dry.) When rice is cooked, stir in sugar and grated lemon zest and cook 1 minute, stirring. Remove from heat. Stir in cherries. Remove vanilla bean.

Pudding can be served either warm or cold. Before serving, peel, pit and dice mangoes. Top each serving with generous amount of diced fruit and with mint sprig. Makes 5 to 6 servings.

NOTE: Choose large, heavy saucepan so milk will not boil over and will not scorch.

(Faye Levy is the author of ``30 Low-Fat Meals in 30 Minutes,`` Warner, 1995.)

(c) 2000, Faye Levy. Distributed by the Los Angeles Times Syndicate.

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Author: Faye Levy