This Lebanese rice pudding also known as Riz bi Haleeb is a deliciously creamy pudding gently flavored with orange blossom water. Made with a handful of ingredients, this eggless, no-bake pudding is a must-try dessert recipe from the Middle East. It gets ready in just 30 minutes.
Rice pudding is a universal dessert as almost every country has one recipe of its own. The Indian kheer is my favorite rice pudding as it’s the first and most frequently eaten rice pudding by me.
Nevertheless, I also love exploring and trying different rice pudding recipes from around the world like this Greek rice pudding called rizogalo. It really amazes me how despite having common main ingredients – milk and rice, how unique they all taste.
Today’s recipe – Riz bi Haleeb is a very popular rice pudding from Lebanon. The literal meaning of Riz bi Haleeb is Rice in Milk. This dish is quite similar to Indian rice kheer and many believe that riz bi haleeb got originated from kheer only.
However, some minor changes in the kheer recipe give it a very distinct flavor.
Jump to:
- Riz bi haleeb Vs Kheer
- What's needed to make Lebanese rice pudding?
- Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
- How to make (step-by-step instructions)?
- Serving tips
- How to store the leftover?
- Recipe tips and tricks
- Frequently asked questions
- More easy dessert recipes from around the world
- More easy Middle Eastern recipes
- Recipe
Riz bi haleeb Vs Kheer
Though both kheer and riz bi haleeb are rice puddings, they have their own unique flavors.
Riz bi haleeb is a rice pudding from the Middle East whereas kheer is a rice pudding from the Indian subcontinent.
Unlike kheer which gets a thick and creamy consistency after patiently cooking it over a low flame, Riz bi Haleeb is thickened by adding cornstarch slurry to it.
Another ingredient that makes Riz bi Haleeb unique is the mild essence and flavor of orange blossom water which is used in many Middle Eastern recipes. Kheer is generally flavored with green cardamom or saffron.
In kheer dried fruits and nuts are cooked with rice in milk whereas Riz bi haleeb is garnished with crushed nuts.
What's needed to make Lebanese rice pudding?
To make Lebanese rice pudding, you will need the following ingredients:
Ingredient notes and substitute suggestions
- Milk: Use full cream milk for a creamier and richer pudding. Vegans may use plant-based milk too.
- Orange blossom water: It's the by-product of the distillation process of bitter orange blossoms (neroli) for extracting essential oil. Orange blossom water is used to flavor a lot of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean dishes mainly desserts and drinks. It has a very unique flavor that is hard to create with any other ingredient. It doesn't taste like orange so don't replace it with orange essence or orange zest. Some people also flavor Lebanese rice pudding with rose water. You can also use that. However, I feel that Riz bi haleeb flavored with orange blossom water tastes better.
- Rice: Use jasmine rice or any fragrant rice variety with medium-sized rice grains. Though not the best choice for this recipe, you can use basmati rice too but don't use basmati rice with very long grains. Long-grain basmati rice won't give you a very creamy pudding.
- Cornstarch: It's used to thicken the pudding.
- Pistachios: Generally pistachios are used to garnish this Arabic rice pudding. The contrasting green color with white pudding makes it more appealing. But you can use any nut of choice. You can skip the nuts too.
How to make (step-by-step instructions)?
Step 1: From the 1 liter of milk that will be used in this recipe, take out ¼ cup of milk in a bowl and keep it aside.
Step 2: Put the remaining milk in a cooking pot and boil it once.
Step 3: Rinse rice well and drain the water.
Step 4: Add rinsed rice to the boiling milk.
Step 5: Cook rice in milk for around 25 minutes or until rice is nicely cooked (overcooked). Overcooked rice will make the pudding more creamy.
Step 6: Add sugar and mix. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the sugar gets dissolved.
Step 7: In a bowl mix cornstarch with the ¼ cup of milk taken out in step 1. Whisk until you get a smooth paste. Make sure the milk is at room temperature.
Step 8: Add cornstarch slurry to the pudding, stirring continuously.
Step 9: Cook for a few minutes or until the pudding thickens and becomes creamy.
Step 10: Add orange blossom water and mix. Switch off the stove.
Step 11: Transfer the pudding to serving bowls. Leave the pudding for a few minutes i.e. until it sets.
Step 12: Garnish with crushed unsalted pistachios.
Your delicious Middle Eastern rice pudding-Riz bi Haleeb is ready to be enjoyed.
Serving tips
You can enjoy Riz bi haleeb hot, warm, at room temperature, or chilled. But it tastes best if served chilled.
How to store the leftover?
Allow the leftover rice pudding to reach room temperature and then transfer it to an airtight container. Refrigerate and consume within 3 days.
When allowing the pudding to reach room temperature, don't leave it outside the fridge for more than an hour. Dairy products get spoiled very fast.
Recipe tips and tricks
- Jasmine rice or any rice variety with medium and fragrant grains can be used to make this pudding. You can use basmati rice too but jasmine rice will give a better result in this recipe as it's more starchy, it makes the pudding creamier.
- Make sure the milk in which you mix cornstarch is at room temperature.
- Keep stirring the pudding continuously after adding the cornstarch slurry to avoid lump formation.
- If you can't find orange blossom water, use rose water. They taste completely different but both make the pudding delicious. However, if both ingredients are available to you, use orange blossom water, it gives a better result.
- Instead of pistachios, you can use any nut of choice to garnish this Lebanese rice pudding.
Frequently asked questions
You can use basmati rice to make riz bi haleeb but that's not the best choice of rice for this recipe. And, even if you use basmati rice, don't use basmati rice with very long grains.
No, you don't need to soak the rice before making Lebanese rice pudding. I feel that when you use unsoaked rice in any rice pudding, it takes a slightly longer time to get cooked with milk which makes it more delicious.
However, always make sure to rinse the rice well before cooking.
No, orange blossom water doesn't taste like orange so you cannot replace it with orange essence or orange zest. It has a very unique flavor that is hard to be created with any other ingredient.
Vegan tip: If you are a vegan and want to make a vegan version of this dish, just use any plant-based milk to make Riz bi Haleeb. All the other ingredients in this recipe are vegan-friendly.
More easy dessert recipes from around the world
If you have a sweet tooth and want to explore different easy dessert recipes from around the world then do check out the following recipes:
More easy Middle Eastern recipes
Interested to try more easy Middle Eastern recipes in your kitchen? Don't miss to check out the following links:
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Recipe
Lebanese rice pudding (Riz Bi Haleeb)
Equipment
- 1 Large cooking pot
Ingredients
- ½ cup jasmine rice
- 1 liter full cream milk
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar adjust to taste
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon orange blossom water
- 1 tablespoon finely crushed pistachios
Instructions
- From the one liter of milk that we are using in this recipe, take out ¼ cup of milk in a bowl and keep it aside.
- Put the remaining milk in a large pot and let it boil once.
- While the milk is boiling wash the rice well i.e. until you get clear water.
- Put the rinsed rice to boiling milk and stir well. Cook rice in milk for around 25 minutes or until the rice is nicely cooked or slightly overcooked. Overcooked rice will give creamier pudding.
- Add sugar and mix. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until the sugar gets dissolved.
- In a bowl mix the ¼ cup of milk which was kept aside in step 1 with around 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Whisk until the cornstarch gets completely mixed in the milk.
- Add cornstarch slurry to the cooking pot and mix. Stir continuously for 1-2 minutes and then cook for a few minutes i.e. until the rice pudding becomes thicker and creamier.
- Add orange blossom water, mix, and switch off the stove.
- Transfer the pudding to the serving bowls and allow it to set for a few minutes.
- Garnish with finely chopped pistachios.
- If you prefer chilled Riz bi haleeb, put it in the fridge for at least 2-3 hours before serving.
Video
Notes
- Jasmine rice or any rice variety with medium and fragrant grains can be used to make this pudding. You can use basmati rice too but jasmine rice will give a better result in this recipe as it's more starchy, it makes the pudding creamier.
- Make sure the milk in which you mix cornstarch is at room temperature.
- Keep stirring the pudding continuously after adding the cornstarch slurry to avoid lump formation.
- Use rose water if you don't have orange blossom water. They taste completely different but both make the pudding delicious.
- Instead of pistachios, you can use any nut of choice to garnish this Lebanese rice pudding.
- More recipe tips and tricks are shared in the post above, please follow them to make this recipe.
Hi
Iโve tried your Thai dessert sticky rice with mango and it turned out simply divine
where do I get orange blossom water here in India
Thanks a lot, Kanchan. Happy to know that you enjoyed the Thai mango rice, that's one of my favorite desserts too. Orange blossom water is available on Amazon India. To be honest, I feel it's very expensive in India because it gets exported from the Middle East. I live in Dubai where this ingredient is used in a lot of dishes so is very inexpensive. Orange blossom water has a very unique flavor (not at all like orange) and I haven't come across anything that tastes like it so can't suggest a perfect substitute. However, if you want you can try making this dish with rose water or kewra. Hope this helps.
I love rice pudding and have made so many different versions from different international regions. I will definitely have to try this version soon!
Thank you ๐
This pudding looks delicious. Looks great with so many pistachios on top. I have never used orange blossom water so learnt something new today.
Thanks a lot Mina. I also got introduced to orange blossom water after moving to the Middle East.
I love using orange blossom water whenever I get it so am sure I'd love riz bi Haleeb. Such different flavors from the normal kheer. This creamy dessert is super tempting.
Thanks Mayuri. Though there are only a few minor differences in the procedure, it tastes so different than kheer.