Zarda Recipe

Zarda is a traditional South Asian sweet dish, made by boiling rice with (orange) food coloring , milk and sugar , and flavoured with cardamoms , raisins , saffron , pistachios or almonds . The name Zarda comes from Persian and Urdu word 'zard' ﺯﺭﺩ meaning 'yellow', hence named since the food coloring added to the rice gives it a yellow color. Zarda is typically served after a meal. In South Asia, zarda was and still remains a popular dessert on weddings.
Instead of yellow food coloring, multiple food colorings are added so the rice grains are of multiple colors.

Ingredients:

• Basmati Rice, 1/2 Kg
• Green cardamom, 2-3
• Cloves, 2-3
• Sugar, 450 gms
• Saffron, 1 tblspn
• Dry fruits, sliced 3 tblspn (almonds, pistachios, cashews, raisins)
• Kewra Water/Rose essence, 1 tblspn
• Dry coconut, sliced 2 tblspn
• Dry fruits, to garnish
• Butter/Desi Ghee/, 2-3 tblspn

Serves: 4-5

Recipe Type: Desserts

Recipe:

• Soak almonds, cashews and pistachios in water for 2 hours.
• Peel them, slice and keep aside.
• Soak rice in enough water for 15-20 mins.
• In a vessel, add 8-10 glasses of water. Add saffron.
• When the water comes to boil, add rice without its water.
• When the rice is about 80% cooked, drain all its water and keep it aside.

• In a wide wok, or vessel, add ghee.
• Add cardamom, and cloves.
• Add sliced dry fruits including raisins and coconut.
• Keep flame on the lowest.

• When they turn a little golden, add 1/4 cup of water.
• Add sugar. (You can increase or decrease the amount of sugar to your taste.)

• Mix all things well. Add kewra water.
• When the sugar completely dissolves and leave its water, add rice.
• Mix all the things very well.
• Cover the vessel with a tight lid and give 'dum' for 15 mins.
• When you see air coming out from sides, switch off the flame.
• Dish it out in a serving plate.
• Garnish with dry fruits.
• Serve hot!

Notes:

• You can increase or decrease the amount of any ingredient given above to your choice.
• Don't overcook rice, it should be "almost" cooked not completely cooked.
• You can add cherries, candies, Khoya and other garnishings of your choice.
• If you do not have rose or kewra water, add cardamom powder.