Every time I mention that I have a craving for sweets, my mother’s first response is to offer to make me some gatnabour. This dessert is a milk-based rice pudding that can be served for breakfast, dessert, or as a sweet snack. I’m not sure if my mother quickly decides on cooking gatnabour because she knows it is one of my favorite desserts, or because she is actually looking for an excuse to make some. In Armenian cuisine, since a very long time, this warm and creamy pudding is a part of our dessert table at every family gathering.
Although it is rather easy to make and does not require difficult or hard-to-find ingredients, it takes practice to cook the rice just right and make sure the heat is on at the perfect temperature in order to avoid burns and lumps in the mixture. Since it has very accessible ingredients, this desert is very convenient and common in numerous Armenian homes on a daily basis or simply on special occasions. The preparation does however require a great deal of arm strength in order to prevent the milk from sticking to the bottom of the pan. Personally, I have never had the courage to attempt to make this dessert, because I worry if I will burn and waste the pot, although watching my mother take the time to patiently stir the pudding to perfect consistency every time never ceases to impress me. Once small portions are poured into separate serving bowls and sprinkled with a pinch of cinnamon, this dessert is bound to keep you full for quite a while!
Recipe (for 12 bowls)
Ingredients
– 1 cup white rice (round)
– 1 cup water
– 7 cups 3.25% milk
– 2 cups sugar
– 1 tbsp rose water
– cinnamon to garnish
Procedure
- Wash the rice and boil in water for about 10 minutes at medium heat, until all the water gets absorbed.
- Add the 7 cups of milk to the boiled rice and continuously stir while still at medium heat for 15 to 20 minutes or until the starch of the rice mixes and thickens the milk.
- Add 1½ cups of sugar and continue stirring for another 5 minutes.
- Once the sugar is fully mixed in, remove from heat and add the rose water.
- Separate into individual bowls and sprinkle with a pinch of cinnamon.
- Let cool and set for about 5 minutes, then enjoy!
Photo source: http://traditionallymoderndesigns.blogspot.com/2009/04/gatnabour-aka-milkrice-pudding.html
