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Grandma Sadie’s Gatnabour

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A bowl full of rice pudding.

Grandma Sadie’s Glorious Gatnabour

July 23, 2026 0 Comments

My mom’s mom, Sadie Alexander, was an excellent cook. Unfortunately, she died when I was a baby, so I don’t remember any of her marvelous dinner parties. Her classic recipe for gatnabour (rice pudding) was carried forward by my mom and perfected by my brother Eddie Marashian. It’s a wonderful dessert, if you can wait that long! (We never could, and we still can’t, so we always cheat and have a small bowl for breakfast, alongside chorag and eggs on special occasions.) Topped with cinnamon, it’s high up on my list of favorite comfort foods.

Grandma Sadie’s Glorious Gatnabour

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Yield:

6-8 servings

Prep time:

10 minutes

Cook time:

40 minutes + 2 hours to cool

Total time:

3 hours

INGREDIENTS

1	cup long grain white rice
½	gallon whole milk
1	cup sugar
1	tsp vanilla
	Cinnamon to taste

EQUIPMENT

Large pot
Large spoon

INSTRUCTIONS

1.	Place a large pot on the stove and add the milk and rice.
2.	Turn your stove’s burner onto high and begin to stir.
3.	Add the sugar and continue stirring slowly as the mixture comes to a boil.
4.	Before you get to a rolling boil, turn the heat down to a medium-low.
5.	Continue stirring as the rice pudding cooks, to avoid the rice sticking or burning.
6.	It should take approximately 40 minutes of simmering for the mixture to thicken.
7.	You’ll know it’s ready when the spoon begins to form a trail as it passes through the rice.
8.	Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
9.	Pour into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. (To prevent a skin from forming, be sure your plastic wrap directly touches the pudding, leaving no air in between the pudding and the wrap.)
10.	Set aside to cool for at least 2 hours before serving.
11.	Top with cinnamon before serving.

NOTES

1.	Rice pudding needs to be constantly stirred, or it will burn, so don’t make this unless you have time to stand in one place and slowly stir. Like so many kitchen endeavors, it can be relaxing and meditative if we allow ourselves the time and space.

CATEGORY

DESSERTS & COCKTAILS

KEYWORDS

Armenianfood, RicePudding

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Grandma Sadie’s Glorious Gatnabour

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Yield: Makes about 80 - 90

Prep time: 3 hours + overnight

Cook time: 2 hours + overnight

Total time: 2 days and 5 hours

INGREDIENTS Filling 6-8 medium white or yellow onions, finely chopped 1 cup red bell pepper, finely chopped (can use green too) ½ cup celery, finely chopped 3/4 cup light olive oil 8 oz tomato sauce 1/2 cup lemon juice 1 tbsp dill 2 tsp salt 1 tsp pepper ¼ tsp. allspice ¼ tsp. cayenne (optional) 2 cups pearl rice, rinsed in a large sieve (to remove dust) 1 cup water 1 cup parsley, finely chopped 2 tbsp. fresh mint, finely chopped (can substitute ½ tbsp. dried mint) 1 jar of preserved grape leaves Broth 1 cup water ½ cup lemon juice 3/4 cup light olive oil

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INSTRUCTIONS 1.In a deep, four-quart pan, heat the olive oil and add the onions, peppers and celery. 2.Sauté on medium heat until wilted. 3.Add the tomato sauce, lemon juice and spices and cook for 5 minutes. 4.Next add the rice and water and cook on low until the water is absorbed (about 20 min). 5.At this stage, be sure to stir often so the rice does not stick to the bottom of the pan. 6.Lastly, add the parsley and mint and stir to incorporate. 7.Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool. 8.Refrigerate the filling for at least one day. 9.To roll, place preserved, rinsed grape leaf flat on a plate with the veins of the leaf facing up. 10.Place a spoonful of the rice mixture along the leaf on the stem side. 11.Fold the tops of the leaf down; fold both sides toward the center; roll down tightly to complete the process. 12.Place the rolled yalanchi side by side in the large (4 quart) pan, which has been lined with grape leaves (can use lettuce or parsley stems) to prevent scorching. 13.Arrange the yalanchi snuggly in no more than 3 layers for best cooking. (If there are a few extra, they may be placed on the top center.) 14.Cover the top layer with 2-3 layers of torn grape leaves or romaine lettuce to protect the top layer from burning. 15.Mix the broth ingredients (water, lemon juice, and oil) in a measuring cup and drizzle over the top. 16.Cover with lid or foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 30 minutes. 17.Turn oven off and leave in oven for 30 more minutes. 18.Let it cool and refrigerate overnight. (Leave in pan refrigerated until serving day.) 19.Arrange yalanchi on a platter and decorate with parsley leaves and thin lemon slices. 20.Squeeze more fresh lemon juice over the plattered yalanchi before serving.

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