Community Cookbook: HAAM’s Arroz Con Leche

Healthy as a Motha (234 Union Ave.), or HAAM, is a full-service, plant-based Caribbean restaurant that opened this week in Williamsburg. In honor of the opening, Yesenia Ramdass, the chef and owner of HAAM, has shared something sweet with us. 

See Ramdass’ recipe for arroz con leche, her version of Dominican rice pudding, below. Find last week’s Community Cookbook recipe here.

HAAM’s Arroz Con Leche

Ingredients

1 cup of risotto rice

2 cups of house-made cashew milk (directions below) 

½ cup of cane sugar

½ cup of maple syrup 

2 inch-long lime peel

3 cinnamon sticks

1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Pinch of nutmeg

Salt, to taste

Raisins

Ground cinnamon, for garnish

Directions for house made cashew milk:

1. Soak 1 cup of cashews in hot water for 30-45 min until soft. 
2. Drain cashew water, then add softened cashews into a blender with 2 cups of water.
3. Blend until cashews are dissolved and liquid looks like milk. 

Directions for arroz con leche:

1. In a sauce pan, heat up cashew milk and add 3 cinnamon sticks, nutmeg, lime peels, cane sugar, maple syrup, and salt. 
2. Stir and taste for salt and sugar; adjust as needed.
3. Wash risotto rice and throw into milk, stirring constantly to ensure rice doesn’t stick to the pot and adding water or milk if it becomes too thick (*Note that the rice pudding will thicken as it cools.)
4. Once the rice pudding is done, remove the lime peel and cinnamon sticks.
5. Add raisins and stir to combine.
6. Garnish with ground cinnamon.
7. Enjoy warm, room temperature, or cold.