Zarda Rice recipe

Zarda Rice

Zarda is a traditional Punjabi dessert prepared and enjoyed during festivals, weddings and all kinds of special occasions. It is prepared mainly with Basmati rice and sugar syrup. The dry fruits and Indians herbs are specially used to give it a special taste and visual looks. Zarda is not only used as dessert but also used as snack as well.

Ingredients:

1: Basmati Rice half kg (soaked in water for 20 minutes)

2: Sugar 2 cups

3: Oil 4 tbs

4: Cinnamon stick half inch

5: Cloves 2

6: Water 8 cups

7: Saffron Strands 15 dissolved in 2 tbs Milk

8: Almonds 6 (sliced)

9: Cashew Nuts 6 (chopped)

10: Raisins 10 

Method:

Heat the water in a large pan till it starts boiling on medium flame, add rice and boil till rice are about 90% done, roughly takes about 8-10 minutes but it may vary among rice brands and age of the rice.

Transfer them to colander and drain water completely. Keep them aside.

Take a big heavy based pan with lid, add oil oil and heat it on low flame, Add cinnamon stick, cloves, saute for about 1 minute. Add sugar and 1/4 cup water. Stir and cook for a minute. Add dissolved saffron mixture. Stir and cook until sugar dissolves, After sugar dissolves, bring mixture to boil on medium flame. When it starts to boil, add boiled rice. Mix gently until each rice grain is coated with sugar-saffron mixture and there are no lumps of white rice. Reduce flame to low and cover it with a lid. Cook until almost all the moisture evaporates. Turn off flame and let it stand for 7-8 minutes. Remove the lid and add almonds, cashew nuts, raisins.

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