Any Day Guide writes that National Rice Pudding Day is celebrated on August 9 throughout the United States. Rice pudding is a popular dish found in nearly every area in the world which can be served as either dessert or dinner.
Rice pudding recipes may vary greatly depending on the country of origin, but typically rice puddings include the following ingredients: rice, milk or water, spices and flavorings. When served as a dessert, it typically contains a sweetener such as sugar, honey, or syrup. Baked rice puddings sometimes contain eggs.
In the United States and Canada, most rice pudding recipes were brought by European immigrants. One of the most popular variations is made with long grain rice, milk, sugar or maple syrup, raisins, cinnamon, and nutmeg. The pudding is first partially cooked in a bain-marie and then baked in an oven until ready.
National Rice Pudding Day is a holiday that can be observed by enjoying a nice plate of rice pudding. There are a variety of different rice pudding recipes out there, so choose one that you think you’ll enjoy and make it. While you’re enjoying rice pudding on this holiday, go ahead and use the hashtag #NationalRicePudding to spread the word about this holiday.
Apparently according to The Daily Meal people from the U.K. will tell you rice pudding was first invented there. Yet speak to any Indian person and they’ll tell you it’s an authentic Indian dish. People from China, Greece, Italy, and Mexico will tell you the same thing. Germans will swear that they invented the first rice pudding.
Though we may never really know exactly where rice pudding first originated, from what we do know, it has its roots in India and China many thousands of years ago. It’s thought to have come to Europe around the 14th century. However, it was around even earlier as a type of rice pottage used medicinally for stomach upsets in Roman times.
Rice pudding’s origins are a mystery that may never be solved, but there are many interesting stories from around the world surrounding its history.
Though there’s no one true origin story for rice pudding, we can date its roots back to 6,000 B.C. It was at this time it was first mentioned, as ksheer or kshirika, forever linked to the tale of Krishna, the Hindu deity.
Rice pudding, kheer, payesh, muhalabia, arroz con leche — whatever you call it — this indulgent, creamy dessert, has been around in many forms, and in many countries, for over 8,000 years. Traditionally made with rice, sugar, and some form of milk, rice pudding has stood the test of time.
Outside of India, the first mention of rice pudding in the Middle East was in medical texts. Due to its simple, relatively bland ingredients and soft texture, it was a dish that was both nutritious and easy to digest. Soon, rice pudding became a popular dish with royalty, served at special occasions such as parties and weddings.
Read lots more about Rice Pudding from The Daily Meal
Source : Any Day Guide The Daily Meal Holidays Calendar
