MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

Title: Zarda Meethe Chawal (Sweet Saffron Rice)
Categories: Indian
Yield: 4 Servings

1 c Long grain basmati rice
1 Green cardamom; break open
3 c Water;
- up to 4 c,
- to par boil rice
1 tb Ghee
1 c Whole milk
3 tb Ghee
2 Green cardamoms;
- up to 3, break open
2 Cloves
1 ts Saffron;
- heaping, good quality
1 pn Nutmeg;
- generous, fresh ground
3/4 c Granulated sugar; up to 1 c
3 tb Unsalted almonds,
- pistachios, or cashews;
- roasted, more for garnish
2 tb Golden raisins;
- more for garnish

Notes:

Use good quality spices in this recipe.

Different varieties of saffron have different sharpness and strength.
Adjust the quantity depending on the brand you are using.

To make the zarda more rich, instead of using roasted nuts, you can
fry them in a small pan in 1/2 tb ghee and add on top.

* * *

Wash the rice under running stream of water 2 to 3 times until the
water runs clear. Soak the rice for 45 minutes in enough water (add a
green cardamom to it) required for parboiling. You can soak rice in
the same pot that you will use for cooking.

Once the rice has soaked. Parboil the rice until 80% cooked, takes
about 10 minutes. The cooking time will depend on quality of rice. To
check the rice, take a grain and press it between the index finger
and thumb. The rice grain will we brittle (break easily) and you will
feel & see hard whitish bits in the center of the grain. Once the
rice has parboiled, immediately drain it and gently mix 1 tb melted
ghee in the warm rice.

While the rice is boiling, add milk, 3 tb ghee, cardamom and clove to
a small pot and set it to simmer on a medium low flame. Let milk
simmer for 5 to 7 minutes on low heat and then put the stove off.
Once the milk has cooled off a bit and is warm (not hot) to touch add
sugar, saffron, and nutmeg to it. Let sit.

In the same pot in which you parboiled the rice, add the warm spiced
milk sugar mixture. Very gently add the drained rice to the milk. Add
the nuts and raisins. Cover and let cook on medium low heat for 10 to
12 minutes until all the milk is absorbed and the rice is completely
done. Put the stove off.

After 15 to 20 minutes of sitting, gently fluff the rice with the
help a fork. Garnish with more nuts and raisins if you want.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe by sanjuro

Recipe FROM: <gopher://sdf.org/0/users/sanjuro/indian-food/
zarda-sweet-saffron-rice.txt>

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