Combine the rice, milk, water, and cinnamon stick in a large saucepan. Stir in the sugars, Kabul Piquant spice blend, and salt.
- Bring the mixture to a light boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently and scraping the bottom of the pan to prevent the rice from sticking.
Once boiling, reduce the heat to a gentle simmer over medium-low/low heat and continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the rice is tender and most of the liquid has absorbed, about 40 minutes.
Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract, butter (if using) and raisins until melted. Let cool slightly (the mixture will continue to thicken as it cools).
- Before serving, top with slivered almonds (the rice pudding can be enjoyed warm or cool).
