CLASSIC CREAMY RICE PUDDING

In a 3-quart saucepan, combine 3¼ cups whole milk with ½ cup uncooked long grain rice and a pinch of salt. Add the whole spices of your choice: 4 cardamom pods, a cinnamon stick, or a split and scraped vanilla bean pod and its seeds. Bring to a simmer over mediumhigh heat, stirring and scraping the sides and bottom frequently with a silicone spatula to prevent scorching. Lower heat to maintain a bare simmer and cook, stirring often, until rice is soft and the liquid has taken on a thick, creamy consistency, about 40 minutes. Discard the whole spices. Stir in ½ cup sugar until dissolved. Serve warm or chilled. (When chilled, the pudding will thicken considerably; stir in milk a tablespoon at a time until the desired consistency is reached.)