Pour rice slowly into rapidly boiling salted water in a large pot. Do not stir. Cover and cook seven minutes with burner on low until all water is absorbed and rice is slightly underdone.

Add milk and butter, mix and slowly bring to a boil.

Cover and cook over low heat for one hour, stirring frequently.

Meanwhile, wash raisins, heat, and let sit in water to plump. (Not everyone in our house likes raisins in the pudding so we leave them in a separate bowl after they’ve plumped.)

Beat eggs and add sugar, raisins, and vanilla. Pour mixture into rice, pouring slowly till rice thickens. (I always add several spoonfuls of the hot rice mixture, one at a time, into the egg mixture first, whisking after each spoonful, to warm it up before mixing it into the large pot of thickened rice. That way I don’t end up with scrambled eggs.)

Serve hot, warm, or cold with butter and cinnamon-sugar on top.

Enjoy!