Brown rice and fig tartlets

Over the past couple of weeks the weather has really turned quite cool here in Sydney. Coming from a Finn (although a very acclimatised one), this might sound like we're talking sub-zero temperatures, but fortunately winter in Sydney is a mild one. The cooling weather does mean, however, that we start craving for heartier, comforting foods that warms us up inside.

These brown rice and fig tartlets certainly have potential to be one of those meals that you dish up when you are in need for that comfort on your plate. There are two ways you can go about this - either make them into flat tartlets like these ones or make them in individual ramekins (in which case you could double the portion) and end up with a softer, rice pudding-like texture. Either version would work out well and the delicious combination of brown rice, figs, brown rice milk and spices is everything I was asking for.

Brown rice and fig tartlets

(serves 2)

(Recipe adapted from taste.com.au)

120g brown rice, cooked

2 fresh figs, sliced 

1/2 cup brown rice milk

1 large, free-range egg

1 teaspoon potato starch

1 tablespoon manuka honey

1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven to 180C and grease two individual tart tins (11 cm base, 2 cm deep).

2. In a small bowl, lightly whisk the brown rice milk and the egg. Whisk in the potato starch, honey and the spices.

3. Spread the cooked brown rice evenly in to the tins. Top the rice with the fig slices and pour the milk mixture on top.

4. Bake the tarts for 15-20 minutes. You could serve this with a scoop of good vanilla bean ice cream.