Rose-Infused Turkish Rice Pudding (Sütlaç)

Author Notes

The first time I invited friends over for an ambitious and authentic Turkish dinner is kind of a haze; I set my roommate’s terribly tacky potholders on fire (accidentally, but to minimal regret), made a hummus that was far too tahini-rich, and had to use a knife instead of a corkscrew. The single most successful dish I made was also ostensibly the one that took the longest to make, and was especially challenging on my short attention span.

Note: Before you inadvertently turn a batch of pudding into a cosmetic masterpiece, pay attention to where you’re getting your rosewater from. It’s become increasingly trendy to use rosewater toners (the Whole Foods beauty aisle is full of them), but those are often mixed with witch hazel, or are not FDA approved. I went to an Armenian grocery store to pick up a glass bottle that was specifically marked for baking and cooking. You’ll likely have luck at many Middle Eastern grocery stores, as rose flavoring is very common in deserts from this region.

If you don’t have short grain rice, regular jasmine will work in a pinch, but it does adversely impact the texture and cook time. This recipe doesn’t have a ton of ingredients, but it does require constant vigilance with a wooden spoon—otherwise, you’ll risk the mixture clumping up at various stages, instead of turning into a smooth pudding. I used a 4.5 quart Le Creuset dutch oven, which also meant less risk of my rice sticking to the bottom. —Oset Babur