Azerbaijani Milk Rice Porridge (Südlü Sıyıq) — Creamy Breakfast Bowl

• 150 gshort-grain white rice (rinsed until the water runs mostly clear)
• 300 mlwater
• 1200 mlwhole milk
• 50 ggranulated sugar
• 3 gfine sea salt
• 20 gunsalted butter
• 10 strandsaffron (crushed and bloomed in 30 ml warm milk taken from the measured milk)
• 1 tspground cinnamon

Instructions

1. 1

   Place the rinsed rice and 300 ml water in a heavy saucepan and bring it to a gentle boil over medium heat. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring twice, until the rice has absorbed most of the water and the grains have begun to soften.

2. 2

   Pour in 1170 ml of the whole milk, reserving 30 ml for the saffron bloom, and reduce the heat to low. Simmer uncovered for 22 to 25 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes so the milk does not scorch and the rice releases starch into a creamy porridge.

3. 3

   While the porridge cooks, crush the saffron strands between your fingers or in a small mortar and stir them into the reserved 30 ml warm milk. Let the saffron steep for 5 minutes so its color and aroma bloom before it is added to the pot.

4. 4

   Stir in the sugar, salt, butter, and saffron milk, then cook for 3 to 5 minutes more until the porridge is thick but still spoonable. This dish should be soft and creamy, not separate-grained like Azerbaijani plov, so keep the heat low and stir steadily.

5. 5

   Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the porridge stand for 5 minutes, because the rice will continue to thicken as it rests. Spoon it into warm bowls and dust each serving evenly with cinnamon before serving.