Zarda
Zarda pulao - an authentic fragrant traditional yellow sweet rice or meethe chawal made using basmati rice, saffron, orange zest, dry fruits and nuts. Served joyously during weddings and festivals like Eid, Diwali or Holi.
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 398kcal
Ingredients
to cook rice for zarda recipe:
- 2 Cups Long Grain Basmati Rice
- 1 Bay leaf
- 4-5 Green Cardamom
- 5-6 Cloves
- 2 inch Cinnamon Stick
- Water to boil the rice
- pinch Yellow Food Color optional - I have not used it
remaining ingredients for zarda rice pulao:
- 1 ½ cups Sugar
- A generous pinch of saffron soaked in ¼cup of water atleast for 2-3 hours to develop best colour
- 1 ½ tablespoons Charoli nuts (chironji) Charoli nuts (chiraunji)
- ¼ cup Cashew nuts broken
- 4 tablespoons Raisins
- 3 tablespoons Dried Coconut sliced or chopped
- 4-5 tablespoons Ghee or unsalted butter
- 100 grams khowa or Mawa or Kova grated or crumbled cottage cheese/malai paneer
- 1 ½ teaspoon Orange Zest a must, cannot be skipped
- Juice of half lemon
Instructions
To cook rice for zarda
- To start with, first, clean wash and soak rice in enough water for atleast one hour.
- Also, soak the saffron in ¼ cup of water for at least 2-3 hours.
- Then, in a heavy bottom pan, add enough water, cinnamon sticks, bay leaf, green cardamom and cloves. Bring it to a boil.
- Once the water starts boiling, add strained rice.
- Cook the rice until 90 percent done.
- Then, carefully strain the cooked rice and set it aside. Do not discard the whole spices.
How to make Zarda Recipe
- In another heavy bottom pan, heat ghee or butter.
- Then, add sliced coconut, cashews, charoli nuts and raisins, fry for few minutes until they are golden. Do not burn them.
- After that, add sugar and mix.
- Then add saffron water and bring it to a boil. Cook until sugar melts.
- Now, add lemon juice, orange zest allow it to boil for another minute.
- Then, add rice and gently mix and make sure that all the rice coats well with sugar-saffron mixture, cook for a minute.
- Finally, sprinkle crumbled khoya all over the rice.
- After that, cover the pan with tight lid and simmer (Dum) on very low flame for 15 minutes.
- Allow it to sit for 5 minutes. Then, gently fluff up the rice with fork and mix everything.
- Delicious rich sweet rice is ready to serve.
Nutrition
Calories: 398kcal | Carbohydrates: 70g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 263mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 34g | Vitamin A: 95IU | Vitamin C: 1.3mg | Calcium: 109mg | Iron: 0.9mg