I never thought I would say this… but I miss Little Rock! I’ve finally pulled together this round up of my trip to Little Rock, Arkansas with USA Rice and The Feedfeed  to share with you! Before landing in Little Rock I had never set foot in Arkansas and had zero expectations of what this trip would be like. I asked my Uber driver what food or dish Little Rock was known for and his answer was “Cheese Dip”. I asked if it was any different than queso… nope… but it’s just called cheese dip around here. GREAT.

I ended up not eating any cheese dip at all and instead had the most wonderful rice-centric meals made by some of the best chefs in Arkansas. It was super inspiring! I’ve grown up eating rice since the day I could have solid food. I’m pretty sure I sustained on jook during the first few years of my life. But it was always jasmine rice. That was literally the only rice we ever consumed in our family. Don’t get me wrong, I still lovely the aromatic smell and fluffy texture of jasmine rice, but there is a whole wide world of rice out there!

Visiting Ralston Family Farm

During our trip we visited Ralston Family Farm in Atkins, AR and learned all about the varieties of U.S.-grown rice they produce: Traditional Southern, Jasmine, Red Rice, Purple Rice, and Basmati. I also discovered that there was such a thing as rice grits and I haven’t stopped dreaming about it since! It’s creamy and gritty just like corn grits but made with golden rice and a bit more nutritious for you. They unfortunately don’t sell it yet, but I have my fingers crossed that its available soon! 

Did you know that brown rice is rice with 100% of it’s bran still intact and than white rice is the same thing but with all the bran removed???! I had no idea… There is also this magical middle ground of golden rice, which is brown rice with 50% of the bran removed. It tastes like white rice but again with a bit more nutrition. Overall, the rice that’s produced at Ralston’s and in America is held at a higher health standard than rice outside of America, which I definitely appreciate! It’s all certified organic and Non-GMO! 

The practice of farming rice is also incredibly sustainable. They flood the rice fields with water from the Arkansas river and when they drain the water back it’s returned back into the river essentially filtered and crystal clear. The whole practice and management of the farm was so high tech. They have drones that scan the fields to make sure it’s at completely zero grade (which means flat) to hold the water evenly during flooding. And when it’s time to harvest the rice combines or big giant rice tractor thingies are satellite controlled so that the fields are harvested in exactly straight lines. As someone that loves straight lines and perfect 90 degrees, I appreciate this precision.

I got to ride on a combine for the first time and it was such a meditative experience. It was nice to sit in the buddy seat with Tim Ralston, the founder and owner of the farm, and just peacefully watch the stalks of rice get swept up by the combine. Give me some murder mystery podcasts and a better sense of how to drive a tractor and I would be all set for hours. The entire Ralston family was so incredibly kind and hospitable! 

The Creamiest Purple Rice Pudding

Now that I’m back home and feeling inspired by all the creative rice focused dishes I had in Arkansas, I’m ready to dive deep into the carby world of rice. To kick things off, I’m sharing this creamy and dreamy U.S.-Grown Purple Rice Coconut Pudding with Caramelized Bananas! Are you drooling yet?

Purple rice not only gives this pudding a gorgeous violet color, but it’s also very good for you and full of antioxidants! The same antioxidants you find in dark chocolate and blueberries! Purple rice takes a little longer to cook, similar to brown rice, but I promise that your patience will be well worth it.

You gently simmer the rice in coconut milk, a bit of water, and a bit of salt. The coconut milk will immediately take on the color of the rice. Simmer for about 40 to 45 minutes until the rice has softened. Then to make it more pudding like, whisk together an egg and some sugar, temper the egg with a bit of the hot coconut milk, and then add the egg into the rice and mix for 5 or so minutes until the rice pudding is thick and creamy. You can enjoy the pudding warm or chilled! Do what your heart desires. 

Don’t sleep on the caramelized bananas though! They take almost no time to make and make whatever you top with them feel a little extra fancy. All you do is melt butter and brown sugar in a pan, add some sliced bananas, and let them caramelize in the pan for at least 5 minutes. They should be deeply golden brown and syrupy. Top your rice pudding with caramelized bananas, a splash of coconut cream for decadence, and some toasted coconut for texture!

Purple Rice Coconut Pudding with Caramelized Bananas

Serves 4

Rice Pudding Materials:
1 14oz can full fat coconut milk
1 cup water
½ cup U.S.-grown purple rice
½ tsp salt
1 egg
⅓ cup white sugar
Coconut cream - optional
Toasted shredded coconut - optional

Caramelized Bananas Materials:
1 banana
2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp brown sugar

Steps:

1. In a medium pot bring coconut milk, water, purple rice, and salt to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and continue to cook for 40-45 minutes, stir every 5 minutes to prevent rice from burning to the bottom.

2. Mix together egg and white sugar in a small bowl. Temper the egg mixture by slowing whisking in ½ cup of hot coconut milk mixture. Add the egg mixture into the rice and whisk for another 5-8 minutes until thick and creamy. Allow to cool until serving.

3. Melt butter and brown sugar in a skillet. Cut the banana in half lengthwise and then cut in half again to get 4 segments. Place the bananas in the skillet cut side down and cook for 5 minutes until caramelized.

4. Fill 4 containers or serving bowls with the purple rice pudding and top with a segment of caramelized banana. Garnish with coconut cream and toasted shredded coconut. Serve warm or chilled.

Thanks, USA Rice and The Feedfeed , for sponsoring this post!