Arroz Zambito is a sweet Peruvian rice pudding prepared with nuts, coconut and unrefined sugar. I fell in love with this dessert on the streets of Cusco. Every night on the walk from the main plaza to my hotel I passed a woman and her arroz zambito cart. Cusco at night is extremely cold and her sweet, warm, rice pudding was the most glorious treat on those chilly nights. Her version had milk but this recipe is dairy free … although you can try it with milk also. This is a great dessert for vegan or dairy free folks.
Sweet Arroz Zambito from Peru
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
Description
Peruvian rice pudding
Tools: pot, large spoon
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice
- 1 ceylon cinnamon stick (or 2 teaspoon of cinnamon powder)
- 3 whole cloves
- 1 small piece of orange peel
- 1/4 cup of shredded coconut
- 5 cups of water (or milk)
- 3 oz chancaca (or 2–3 mini piloncillos)
- Coconut, raisins or pecans to top
Instructions
1. Boil rice with 4 cups of water (or milk) and spices and coconut on medium heat.
2. When the rice begins to absorb the water, add your sugar. When the rice is cooked, remove from heat and add your other cup of water.
3. Let cool, serve, and add toppings, enjoy warm.
Notes
If you are new to rice pudding/arroz con leche check out my post on “How to make your own arroz con leche.”
- Category: arroz con leche
- Method: boil
Keywords: rice pudding, arroz con leche, vegan dessert, stovetop dessert, Peruvian
