Moroccan Style Breakfast Rice

I am the youngest of five children.  My oldest sister, who was twelve years older than I, cared for me like I was her baby doll.  Even when she had her own small apartment, she would have me come over throughout the week.  She had married a man from Morocco when she was young, about 19 or 20.  My memories of him are strange as he was always kind to me, but I knew he was not so to my sister.  Although I have terribly sad memories of her marriage to him, I have some quite fond memories, too.  He taught her to make some amazing Moroccan food. She would have a dish that was new to me each time I stayed with her.

One dish I grew to know and look for was a type of rice pudding she made for breakfast.  It was similar to oatmeal or cream of wheat rather than a dessert.  I would wake to find her in the kitchen stirring a pot of simmering rice that would soon be ready for me to eat.  Bites of the sweet rice helped me get through last minute homework or studies for the day to come.

She never taught me to make this dish and she is no longer here to teach me, but my memories of it are pretty strong.  I looked for recipes for Moroccan rice and found some that I changed to be true to my memories.  I am fairly certain she didn't make her rice with almond milk but perhaps she did make her own or added some ground almonds to the cooking rice.  I do feel that the almond milk is essential to the flavor of this rice as I remember it.

Over all it is a rather healthy dish.  The almond milk only has 40 calories per cup and it doesn't have near the amount of fat that cow's milk does.  Almond milk is full of vitamins and minerals including zinc and calcium.  The almond milk really adds a distinct flavor but one that is not overwhelmingly different.  As it cooks, the rice really sweetens this on its own so I prefer to use a fourth cup of sugar instead of more.  I recommend anywhere between 1/4 and 1/3 cup in the recipe.  You can make it with less and add more after it has cooked if you like it sweeter.

The rice takes about an hour to make so I will make it the night before.  It easily reheats on the stove in the morning.  It thickens even more as it gets cold, so I add some more almond milk to the rice when I reheat it.  It takes just about 10 minutes to get really hot.  Only a small serving, about half cup, is quite filling but my older children will eat about one cup for breakfast.

This is just a note, not a paid advertisement.  I recently started uses Califia Farms almond milk.  It is in the refrigerator section of the grocery and is so creamy, not at all gritty.  And, I love the container it comes in.

Moroccan Style Breakfast Rice

1 c jasmine rice

2 c water

2 tbsp butter

4 c almond milk

1/4-1/3 c sugar

2 cinnamon sticks {each about 3", or 1 longer stick}

2 tsp vanilla

dash of ground nutmeg

Rinse rice well and drain in a mesh sieve.  Place rice and 2 cups of water in a large pot.  Bring to a simmer over medium-low heat; reduce heat to low and continue to simmer, uncovered for 10~15 minutes or until water is mostly absorbed.  The rice will be very creamy.

Add butter, almond milk, sugar and cinnamon stick.  Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low, simmering uncovered for 25-35 minutes, until the pudding has thickened and some of the milk has been cooked off.  Remove from heat.  Remove cinnamon sticks.  Stir in vanilla and transfer to serving bowls.  Let set in bowls.  Garnish with a dash of nutmeg and serve warm or room temperature.  Pudding thickens as it sets.  Makes about 6 cups of breakfast rice.

My little girl is 21 months now and working hard to walk on her own.  Her therapy sessions cause a lot of sweat and often tears.  Her therapist notes that she can get tired easily but pushes as much as she can.  I've noticed that she does much better with therapy when she's had a hearty meal the night before.  I've started giving her some rice pudding the at dinner time.  She loves the creamy and bumpy texture as well as the sweetness that comes from the starch in the jasmine rice.  I'm hoping she'll be off and running in no time as she loves following her big brother around the house.