Bodrum Pudding Rice Dolmalik Pirinc 1kg

Dolmalık pirinç, labelled in English as pudding rice, is a short, round, plump grain that turns soft and slightly creamy as it cooks. That gentle starchiness is what holds a filling together inside stuffed vine leaves (sarma) and stuffed peppers, courgettes and aubergines, and it gives sütlaç, the Turkish rice pudding, its smooth body. This Bodrum pack holds 1 kg, a useful size if you make dolma or rice pudding often, and Bodrum labels the rice as vegan and gluten free.

For a classic filling, rinse the rice, soak it in warm salted water for about 15 minutes and drain. Mix it with softened onion, chopped parsley, dill or mint, a spoonful of tomato or pepper paste, olive oil, salt and your usual spices. Fill vegetables only about two thirds full, or roll the vine leaves loosely, because the grains swell as they cook. For sütlaç, cook a small cup of rinsed rice in water until soft, add a litre of milk and simmer, stirring, until thick; sweeten to taste, thicken with a little rice flour mixed with cold milk, then pour into bowls and brown the tops in a hot oven if you like.

Store the dry rice in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight, and reseal the pack or move the rice to an airtight jar once opened.