Rice Keugel

This is a Jewish dish but like many Jewish recipes, it can easily be mistaken for a Polish dish by an outsider since the two cultures lived side by side for so many centuries in Poland. 

All the ingredients used are typical in a Polska Kuchnia (Polish Kitchen) and are inexpensive.

When I was younger, my mother would occasionally make it along with a couple of other Jewish dishes when teaching us about Jewish culture.  I had mentioned before that my mother would make dinners themed around various cultures and countries and tell us different facts about that culture while we would cook and eat so that we would learn about the world while sitting around the dining room table.  I do the same thing now with my children.

If you like apples or rice pudding, you will enjoy this dish.

I made it at the request of my "dirty hippy" husband, who had not grown up with this or other Jewish dishes but who loves rice pudding.  It was a hit with the entire family.




Ingredients:


1/3 to 1/2 cup Raisins, soaked *
2-3 Apples, washed, peeled, and grated
1 large Egg
Pinch of Salt
1/3 cup Sugar
1 cup cooked Rice
5-6 tablespoons of Butter, softened at room temperature
2-3 tablespoons finely chopped Almonds
1 teaspoon Sugar

Optional:  1/2 teaspoon of Cinnamon, 1-2 tablespoons of Apricot Preserves and/or 1 teaspoon grated lemon peel, if you like



Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease a baking pan.

Beat the Egg, Salt and 1/3 cup Sugar together.  Mix in Raisins, Apples, Rice, 1/4 cup Butter, the optional flavors such as Preserves, and Almonds. 

Add to baking pan.  Dot with a tablespoon or two of Butter and sprinkle with the teaspoon of Sugar.

Bake for about 35-45 minutes until browned.

Serve hot in a dessert dish.  You can garnish with a bit of fresh whipped cream, if you like.

Smacznego!




Notes: 


* The raisins can be soaked in hot water for about 10 minutes until plump.  If not serving to children, you can soak them in warmed brandy for a few minutes for an adult treat.


As it is described above, the recipe will come out like rice pudding.  If you want to make it come out thicker so that it can be cut like a cake, instead of 1 Egg, use 4 Eggs and instead of 1 cup cooked Rice, use 2 cups cooked Rice.  You would also want to cook it for just a few minutes longer.  We prefer it softer like a rice pudding.


You can make the recipe less sweet by cutting down the sugar amount after trying it this way first to see how you like it.




You might enjoy reading my syndicated post on BlogHer "I Am Raising Two Future Foodies" (15 Tips to Raising Adventurous Eaters).


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