Anupma's Dining Table : Sweet Saffron Rice or Zafrani Zarda

 

I recall when we were small kids, my mother who was an amazing cook, used to make  this tempting and inviting recipe  . To this day I think, my mother used to make the best and I am pleased to share very authentic and delicious looking, treasure of a recipe that comes pretty close to what she used to make.

 

Ingredients:

500 Gms basmati rice soaked in warm water

250 Gms sugar

1/4 tsp. yellow food colour

3 tbs. Desi Ghee

10 almonds (Chopped)

10 pistachios 

10 cashews

6 fine slices of coconut

2 small sticks of cinnamon

6 green cardamoms slightly crushed

6 cloves

12 black pepper corns

Pinch of salt

a generous pinch of saffron 

1 Tbs  milk

 

Method:

In a large pot, almost half full of water add the food colour ,salt half the cloves and half the cardamom, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns and the drained rice. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until the rice is almost done. Drain the cooked rice and set aside in a strainer placed over the pot

 

Next in a large pan add the ghee and fry the remaining cloves and cardamom pods on low flame. Add the rice  milk and sugar and the saffron. Mix well, cover and gently stir fry the mixture for about 5 minutes on low heat. Then add the almonds, pistachios, cashews and coconut slices and gently stir the rice and allow the it to heat through. Remove the pan from the heat and serve it warm with a topping of malai