Pumpkin & Coconut Rice Pudding

When you've got pumpkin to burn....

I've been looking for ways to decrease my grocery bills, then looked at the freezer and pantry.  My, there's a lot more stuff in there than usual!  I bought quite a bit of coconut milk and shredded coconut when Sprouts was having a Coconut-themed sale.  Then there was my guilty stock-up of healthy grains and beans when I was eating too much junk.  And of course the quart-plus of pumpkin purée from my "harvest".  There will still be enough for a pumpkin pie at Thanksgiving.

I went back and forth debating what kind of rice to use.  Many of the recipes I found use brown rice, as it holds up well against the pumpkin and has a better nutritional profile.  I decided to go with Calrose, or sushi rice, for its medium grain and softer taste.  This was going to be breakfast.  Also, I had the right amount left.

1 C rice of your choice
*1 13.5 oz can light coconut milk
water as needed
1 C pumpkin purée
*1/3 C unsweetened coconut flakes
*1 tsp cinnamon
*1/4 tsp nutmeg
*1/4 tsp cloves
dash of salt
1/4 C brown sugar
*2 Tb maple syrup (or more brown sugar)

1.  In a medium saucepan, stir together rice, coconut milk, 1 C water, and a dash of salt.  Bring to a boil, then simmer until rice is cooked and most of the liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes.

2.  Stir in pumpkin, spices, and sugars.  Return to a simmer and add more water if pudding appears dry.  At some point, I started adding milk, but that's because I have a lot of it at the moment.  This recipe is plenty creamy without dairy.  Taste, and add more syrup if not sweet enough.

3.  Just before serving, stir in coconut.  Serve hot in bowls or chilled in ramekins for dessert.  Garnish with more coconut flakes.

Serves 5 to 6 as breakfast, 8 as dessert

Difficulty rating  π