009 / 100 · Slow Morning Comforts

Orange-Cardamom Rice Porridge

4 small breakfast bowls Active 10 min Total 45 min

Short-grain rice makes a soft breakfast porridge that needs little decoration. Orange zest and a restrained pinch of cardamom perfume the milk, while fresh orange pieces keep the finished bowls lively. This version starts with uncooked rice, so there is no need to have leftover grains waiting in the refrigerator. The long, gentle simmer is mostly quiet work, interrupted by an occasional stir. The porridge should remain loose enough to spoon easily as it comes to the table.

Jump to the ingredients

Creamy rice porridge topped with fresh orange pieces and orange zest in a rust-red bowl.

A gentle simmer and a fresh finish

Do not rinse the rice for this porridge: its surface starch helps thicken the milk. Stir along the bottom and keep the bubbles small to avoid scorching. If the grains remain firm when the pan looks dry, add water a tablespoon at a time. Grate the orange before peeling it, taking only the colored zest. That gives citrus aroma without thinning the milk. Fresh orange pieces belong on top at serving time; simmering them in the pot can bring bitterness and dull their texture. Cardamom should stay in the background. Measure the small amount rather than shaking it over the pan, especially from a fresh jar.

Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (150 g) short-grain white rice
  • 2 cups (480 ml) water, plus extra as needed
  • 2 cups (480 ml) milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cardamom
  • 1 large orange
  • 2 tablespoons honey
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Set out

Heavy medium saucepan, Fine grater, Wooden spoon

Allergens

Milk. Check ingredient labels and substitutions.

Make it

  1. Combine the unwashed rice and 2 cups water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, and simmer partly covered for 12 minutes.
  2. Stir in the milk, salt, and cardamom. Simmer uncovered over low heat for 20–25 minutes, stirring frequently along the base, until the rice is very tender. Add water a tablespoon at a time if it becomes too thick before the grains soften.
  3. While the rice cooks, finely grate 1 teaspoon zest from the orange. Peel the orange, remove any seeds, and cut the flesh into bite-size pieces.
  4. Take the tender porridge off the heat. Stir in the orange zest, honey, and vanilla.
  5. Rest for 3 minutes, loosening with a little hot water if needed, then divide among 4 bowls. Spoon the fresh orange pieces over the top and serve.

A useful detail

This is a soft breakfast porridge, not a firm rice pudding. Stop cooking while there is still enough creamy liquid to flow around the grains.

Make it your own

  • Replace the orange with a clementine pair, using 1 teaspoon total zest.
  • Use maple syrup instead of honey in the same quantity.

Keep it well

Divide leftover porridge into shallow containers promptly and refrigerate within 2 hours at 40°F/4°C or below; do not leave rice cooling in the pot. Use within 3 days. Reheat with extra milk, stirring until 165°F/74°C, and add fresh orange afterward.