Belarus: A New Spin on Rice Pudding

I'm cooking my way around the world. Today, I stopped in Belarus for carrot rice pudding.

Almost every country has its own variation of rice pudding. The Canadians make it with maple syrup, of course; the Australians like nutmeg and cream; the Bangladeshi use cardamom; the Brazilians add egg yolks at the last minute.

The Belarusians use carrots. The carrots add so much sweetness of their own that the pudding needs less added sugar, which I'm all in favor of - for while I love sweets, I would prefer to greet 40 without diabetes. This is my new favorite rice pudding.

Serves 3-4

6 carrots, peeled and sliced
2 Tbsp rice
2 Tbsp butter
1/2 cup milk
2 tsp sugar
Parsley, for garnish

Combine all ingredients (except parsley) in saucepan over low heat, covered, for about 35 minutes. Check every so often. When the milk is all absorbed, it's done. Sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.