Indian Rice Pudding

In Rochester we are fortunate to have a plethora of delicious Indian restaurants to choose from.  The best way to finish an Indian feast is with a bowl of rice pudding.  We had leftovers from one of these wonderful restaurants for dinner this evening, but sadly no dessert!  I decided to try to recreate a slightly healthier version of the rice pudding at home.

1/2 cup uncooked basmati rice
1 15 oz can light coconut milk
4 cups 2% milk (If you're feeling decadent, I'm sure whole milk would taste better).
1 tsp cardamom
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
chopped almonds or pistachios

Combine rice, coconut milk, 2% milk, cardamom and cinnamon stick in a pan.  Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until boiling.  Remove cinnamon stick and reduce heat to a simmer.  Cook for an additional 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat and stir in sugar and vanilla.  Chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.  Serve, topped with chopped nuts.