Rice Kugel

I was expecting more of a variety of rice kugels than I found, and less casual sugar and butter in this traditional sabbath side dish. I coped by altering Barbara Arnoff’s recipe in the Baltimore Sun (which I first found mirrored by Tiny NY Kitchen) to be less sweet and more like this older recipe.

Serves 8 (or 6).

Ingredients

9x9 Pan

For a 9" square pan, a glass pie plate, or a 10" round pan

• 1 c. basmati rice (raw)
• 1 ¾ c. water, salted
• ½ c. golden raisins
• 4 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 c. apple cider
• ⅓ c. sugar
• ⅓ c. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ tsp. cinnamon
• ½ tsp. nutmeg
• dash cardamom (optional)
• dash salt (optional)

8x8 Pan

• ¾ c. basmati rice (raw) or 2 ½ c. cooked
• 1 ⅓ c. water (if cooking rice)
• ⅜ c. golden raisins
• 3 eggs, lightly beaten
• ¾ c. apple cider
• ¼ c. sugar
• ¼ c. vegetable oil
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp. cinnamon
• ¼ tsp. nutmeg
• dash cardamom (optional)
• dash salt (optional)

Directions

1. Cook the rice in the salted water as usual.
2. Soak raisins in warm water (not an ingredient) if necessary, then drain.
3. Preheat oven to 350°.
4. Grease the appropriate pan.
5. Lightly beat the eggs, then mix all ingredients. Pour into pan.
6. Bake 60 minutes, covered for most or all of it, until lightly browned.
7. Cool at least 15 minutes.

Serve warm.

Variants

The original recipes all called for orange juice. Other recipes use plant milks or water.

The recipe can be made with leftover rice (3 cups); I just never have that much rice left over.

You can bake it at 325° if that better suits companion dishes.

When I first made this, I used part of one egg to brush two challahs, then replaced the liquid with a little leftover coconut milk. I doubt it really mattered except that I did not have the perennial half an egg lying around.