FIGS AND RICE PUDDING

I was planning a menu for a party and wanted to create something that my friends could relate to, but at first bite wanted them to be absolutely surprised.
I was serving a traditional Rajasthani meal but I just couldn't serve it without a twist.
And well, it was my birthday so my friends had to try the dish, if just to please me.
Friends do great work as Guinea Pigs and the best time to get them to work is on your birthday.
And that is what I just did.
Rajasthan is an Indian state, famous for its lovely palaces and forts, desert, colourful clothes, folk music and its traditional meal of Daal Baati and Churma.
Rice is not an oft eaten grain here, so when cooked it is mostly in the form of a pudding or on festive occassions as sweetened rice( a side dish) or spiced-up rice (namkeen chaawal).

Figs and rice pudding

FIGS AND RICE PUDDING

Ingredients:
Serves 6
.Long-grained Basmati rice.....1/2 cup
.Clarified butter/Ghee..............1 tsp.(optional)
.Milk........................................1 litre
.Brown sugar............................1/4th to 1/2 cup (to taste)
.Dried figs................................1/2cup, finely chopped(approx. 3)
.Green cardamom powder........1/2 tsp
.Almonds..................................6 finely chopped,
.Almonds..................................4 thinly sliced
.Cashewnuts..............................4 finely chopped
.Pistachio..................................6 thinly sliced

Method:
.Wash and soak rice for 15 minutes. Drain.
.Heat 1 tsp. clarified butter (ghee) and roast the rice on a low heat  till well coated, changes colour
 to a very white and is separated (about 2 to 3 minutes). This step is optional. It helps in maintaining
 the identity of the grain.
.Boil milk in a heavy-based pan.
.Add the rice to the milk and bring to a boil, gently stirring continuously.
.Add the chopped figs and cook on a low heat until the rice is well done, gently stirring continuously.
.Add the chopped nuts and half the cardamom powder. Mix well.
.Check for sweetness and add the sugar as much as required.
.Garnish with sliced nuts and the remaining cardamom powder.
.Serve hot or chilled as desired.

Note:
.Take care to see that the milk does not burn at the bottom of the pan as it will then be a
  Burnt Figs And Rice Pudding.
.As the milk and rice cook there will be a layer of the milk and the starch on the sides of the pan. Scrape
 this layer and add it to the milk at regular intervals.

Cleaning tips:
.Cleaning this pan may get to be quite a chore. Just soak it in warm water for a while and then scrub it
 off with a metal scrub.
.If milk spills onto the gas stove while you are still cooking, quickly sprinkle a little salt on the spilt
 milk. It will be easy to clean it off later.