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Don’t let the exotic name scare your palate: riz bi haleeb simply means “rice and milk”. Add some sugar to it, and you have your regular rice pudding. 

But the search for the best rice pudding recipe has taken people to discover culinary traditions from all around the globe. Luckily for us, different countries give a particular twist to this easy-to-make and affordable sweet treat, and in this case, we have brought flavors from the Middle East for you to try. 

Not just rice and milk either

What makes this version of rice pudding so singular it’s the use of orange blossom water. Rosewater is another Lebanese spin you can add to it in order to enhance its sweetness and its aromas. And don’t forget to top it with some pistachios to make it just perfect!

If you’ve never thought of orange blossom or rosewater as possible ingredients, you will be surprised to learn that their amazing properties pair lovely with this special rice pudding and you can enjoy its benefits as you taste a delicious bowl of pudding from your sofa. Besides, its soothing and nerve-calming aroma that you can smell while cooking, orange blossom water is good for indigestion and against gases. On the other hand, rosewater’s floral flavor helps balance spicy and mellow flavors, and it’s perfect to combine with pistachios. Both types of water are typical of Middle Eastern cuisine, but if you’re not used to the taste we recommend you try with small amounts first: the perfume can be quite intense for a novel palate.

Perfect at any time

Riz bi haleeb can be enjoyed as a dessert, as a snack and even for breakfast. As a matter of fact, Muslim people have it for Suhoor during the holy month of Ramadan because it’s very nutritious and filling, and so it allows them to sustain fasting from dawn to dusk, when they are allowed to break their fast and have Iftar.

Give it a go to this versatile delight and you’ll feel you have travelled to the Arab world without leaving your house. 

Ingredients (5 servings)

• ½ cup of white short-grain rice.
• 4 cups of milk (regular or non dairy).
• ¾ cups of sugar.
• 2 tbsp of orange blossom water.
• 1 tbsp of cornstarch.
• pistachios or cinnamon for decoration.

Preparation

1. In a saucepan, parboil your rice with some water. Be careful not to overdo it, since parboiling is only necessary to “open” the rice grain and make it ready to better absorb the milk later. This takes approximately 10-12 minutes at low heat. 
2. When you see the rice is precooked and the water is gone, add your milk and sugar. 
3. Turn your stove to high heat and bring the rice to a boil. 
4. Dissolve the cornstarch in some cold milk. This will prevent it from creating lumps in your preparation. ¼ cup of milk is enough for a tablespoon of cornstarch, which will increase the creamy effect of the short grain rice.
5. Turn your stove to medium heat. Add the dissolved cornstarch and your orange blossom water. Rose water is another good option if you need a replacement or if you fancy combining both scents.
6. Stir continuously and you’ll see your milk getting thicker. When you reach this point, switch the heat off.
7. You can add your pistachios now and stir a bit more to help the pudding cool down to room temperature.
8. Serve your portions and add crushed pistachios or cinnamon for decoration, if you fancy. 

As with all rice pudding variations, you can have it warm or chilled. And of course, the amount of sugar is up to taste, as well as the amount of orange blossom or rose flavoring. Don’t restrict yourself with these measures, follow your heart and discover the perfect taste for you. In the same way, you can have your pudding without any nuts if you’re allergic or if that’s your preference.

If you’re worried your pudding is too much to have on a single day, relax: this Lebanese rice pudding lasts up to four days in the fridge. Remember to cover it with a silicone lid or plastic food wrapper to preserve it fresh and prevent flavors from mixing with other meals in your fridge.

Regardless whether you are an expert or amateur cook, you can make this typical Greek dish at home. Giouvetsi includes orzo pasta as one of the ingredients, so it not only has an incredible aroma and delicious texture, it is also quite healthy.

An essential ingredient

One of the basic and traditional staple foods in Greek cuisine is orzo, which falls into the category of dried pasta, and is perfect for preparing this casserole called Giouvetsi. If you decide to prepare any orzo recipe to surprise the palate of your diners, this casserole is the ideal choice, since it combines one of the essential ingredients in Greek cuisine with a traditional lamb or beef stew.

Orzo pasta is made from wheat semolina, and during its elaboration process its grains take a rice-like shape. It can also be dry or fresh, with a neutral aroma and flavor, although there are some flavored and colored varieties, for example with spinach, beets or carrots. Its ability to absorb water or broth while it is being prepared makes orzo pasta one of the best ingredients to combine with any recipe. That’s part of its well-known gastronomic value.

The preparation of this traditional ingredient in Greek cuisine is very simple: just cooking the pasta, adding butter or olive oil, and it will be ready to serve as a accompaniment to meat- or poultry-based meals, and even for fillings. 

Now, to surprise the palate of your family, you can prepare this somewhat more elaborated Giouvetsi casserole with orzo. No too much cooking experience needed, though.

Ingredients

• Boneless lamb ribs or a lamb leg (beef will also be ok). You should trim the fat, and then cut into small pieces.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• High quality extra virgin olive oil.
• Canned tomatoes.
• Chopped onions and garlic.
• Assorted spices, such as paprika, nutmeg, bay leaf and ground cinnamon, which bring different flavors to the dish.
• Herbs such as oregano and fresh parsley should not be lacking.
• Red wine.
• Orzo pasta.
• Feta cheese, although optional, since it is only used for decoration.

Method of preparation

1. The first thing to do is to brown the meat, you can start with a pound of lamb meat, cut into small, cube-shaped pieces. Let it dry and season with salt and ground pepper.
2. Cook them over medium-high heat with some olive oil. When golden brown, put the lamb pieces into a large plate and reserve.
3. In the same skillet add the onions and chopped garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook until brownish.
4. Next, simmer the lamb in the pan, with red wine, bay leaf and the other spices: a teaspoon of dried oregano and paprika, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg.
5. Cook until the red wine loses its volume by half, then add water and the canned tomatoes with their juice.
6. When it starts to boil, cover the pan and lower the heat. Simmer until the meat is cooked, which will take about 45 minutes.
7. Then add the orzo, allowing the preparation to cook until the orzo pasta is tender and absorbs as much moisture as possible. About 15 minutes will be fine.
8. Use the cheese to decorate the preparation, you can sprinkle some parsley.

Tips and variations

The good thing about Giouvetsi casserole is that it has some variations that you can use depending on your tastes, without affecting taste nor aroma of the final dish. Instead of lamb you can use beef, like the chuck of beef, which is a very economical cut and is perfect for use in stews. Be sure to cut the meat into small pieces, as well as to cook it properly to satisfy your taste.

Instead of feta cheese you can use grated Parmesan cheese, in case you don’t like the first option. The decoration with grated cheese is equally attractive, suffice is to say that in Greece you can find this dish decorated with kefalotyri, Parmesan or pecorino cheese. A very useful tip when serving is to let the orzo pasta and meat rest for about 5 to 10 minutes before serving it, which will allow the pasta to continue absorbing the sauce.