The Appeal of Milk and Rice Dishes

Although having existed for centuries in various cultures, meals consisting of mainly milk and rice have not found themselves in the spotlight very often. How did these dishes come about, who eats them, and more importantly- are they even good?

(Image Courtesy of Awanthi Vardaraj- Eating in the Kitchen)

When thinking of which food to combine with milk to create some cozy comfort food, you wouldn't typically have rice at the forefront of your mind. Regardless, whether you know of any or not, rice and milk combo dishes like the more commonly known rice pudding and less widely spread variant of rice milk soup have been around for many generations.

Rice pudding is certainly one of the more popular examples of milk and rice based comfort food, often due to the flexibility of it's recipe. It can be made with as little as rice, milk, and water, or you can add as much as sugar, eggs, butter, raisins, cinnamon, etc. depending on your taste. The origins of rice porridge-like dishes is thought to be located in either China or India, who have ancient rice cultures, as well as containing ties to the early Roman and medieval rice pottages used as medicine. In the modern day, many countries, particularly those in Asia, have a unique recipe for rice pudding. One of the most popular of these is the Arroz con leche (Milk/ Rice pudding) which originates from Spain and can be found in many parts of Mexico and South America. It consists of rice with milk, as well as lemon extract, sugar, and a sprinkling of cinnamon. It is often served warm, and has a spongy texture, sort of like oatmeal, making it an ideal comfort food.

Another rice and milk based dish related to rice pudding and certainly less common is rice milk soup. This might understandably sound repulsing to some, and that may be the reason it isn't widely known, however it is a fairly well established dish. It is as simple as pouring warm milk into a bowl of cooked white rice, and is very popular in Puerto Rico, as well as parts of Africa and Eastern Europe. It is commonly served to little children (I personally ate this many times growing up) as it is very easy to swallow and digest, but that doesn't mean adults can't eat it too. The appeal of this dish is centered around the way the milk makes the rice taste. It is difficult to describe but the milk enriches the flavor of the rice and makes it a creamy spoonful capable of dissolving in your mouth.

Of course, as with many foods, there are some negatives attributed to these dishes. The foremost concern is that milk with rice is very high in carbohydrates, so it's not a viable option for people with dietary related health conditions like diabetes or who just generally have a strict intake of carbs. These dishes are also a pretty weak source of protein, so if you are trying to get buff off of some rice and milk, it's best to look elsewhere, although the occasional bowl of pudding couldn't hurt.

Looking on the more positive side of things, there are many reasons to try milk with rice dishes if you haven't already. With comfort food like rice pudding, there are many options with which you can customize your meal. You could add fruit, grains, sugars, syrups, and whatever else your heart desires. Many of these dishes that contain rice such as the rice milk soup and rice pudding also have more substance due to the rice itself. It is a lot more firm when you are eating it, so it is more satisfying and filling.

Whether you have heard about them or not, tried them or not, and liked them or not, rice and milk dishes have been and continue to be available across the globe. The remaining question is whether you are willing to take up a possibly new perspective on the world of food by trying the often unexpected combination of rice and milk.