Creamed rice with honey macadamia pears

Method

1. Put the rice, water, milk and sugar in a pot.  Scrape in the seeds from the vanilla bean, add the bean itself and bring to the boil.
2. Reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes stirring regularly, or until the rice is tender.
3. Blend the custard powder with a little water and stir through the rice mixture.  Continue stirring until the mixture boils, then simmer for 2 minutes until the mixture thickens.  
4. Remove from the heat , cover the surface of the rice mixture with plastic wrap and allow to stand while preparing the pears.
5. Gently heat the cinnamon and honey in a shallow frypan, add the pear slices in batches and cook over a medium heat until they brown and soften slightly.  Remove from the heat.
6. Remove the vanilla bean and spoon the creamed rice into bowls.  Stand pear slices upright at the edge of each bowl.  Sprinkle with chopped macadamias.

Recipe from Deliciously Healthy Cookbook, Heart Foundation, 2001.