Katnapoor, Crema de Arroz con Leche Requemada or Shir Berenji

Katnapoor

Crema de Arroz con Leche Requemada or Shir Berenji

The wealthiest person in the sunny and sultry Mediterranean capital was a miser. All the money from the work roads in a war-torn country were forming his empire of wealth. Filipino servants in clean, white and starched aprons were polishing the silver tea pots and trays which were displayed around the house in an eastern fashion. The chauffeur wearing a western style hat was waiting outside of the house at the door of the luxurious car called him "Agha" * more with servility than with respect.

The town was full of gossip about the skinflint. Some said his wife was murdered as he refused to pay ransom to the kidnappers and there were rumors it wasn't just the ransom - he refused to pay his debts. Women were sipping coffee and there was a whisper in the hot and humid air of the the town that Agha's said - with the money kidnappers have asked he could have married to 2 more wives and doubled his capital with their dowry.

For the last 20 years every morning Agha had the same breakfast "Katnapur" The rice pudding.
Once when his son asked him why can't they have an omelette instead miser explained.

"We were poor, but once in a month mother would make this dish and put a dish on a table for my brother and I to share, each of us had a spoon. I would quickly finish eating my side of the pudding and would carefully dig in under brother's part. The rice and sticky milk top would cover the crime"

Some of the dishes we make have their stories.

Katnapur, Katnov, Crema de Arroz con Leche Requemada or Iranian Rice pudding Shir Berenji is a popular dish in different parts of the world.

Some eat with cinnamon, Spaniards have it with caramelized sugar, Persian version - adding rose water, ground cardamom and honey to serve with , in Latin America people add raisins, some like it warm others prefer it chilled.

Get creative Mix and Match countries and styles, use cranberry instead of raisins, skip the butter or just sprinkle with cinnamon instead of caramelized sugar. But make sure vanilla and cinnamon scent is feeling up you kitchen making a cloud.

*Agha- Master

Here is my version:

Ingredients:

Rice (pudding rice (short grain) - 2 small coffee cups or 100 gr.
Milk -1.300 litre
Sugar - depends how sweet you want it to be, from 3 full table spoons to 200 gr (spanish version)
Butter -50 gr.
Vanilla pod
Cinnamon stick and powder
Brown sugar for caramelizing the top

Pour milk into a non stick pan