Zarda Recipe

Ingredients
 
Rice (long grained)(soaked) 2 cups
Sugar ½ cup
Saffron 5-6 strands
Lemon juice 1 tbsp
Ghee ¼ cup 
Cloves 3-4
Cinnamon 1 inch stick
Green cardamoms 3
Raisins  1 tbsp
Almonds (chopped) 5-6
Cashewnuts (chopped) 5-6
 
 
Method 
  
 
1. Melt sugar in one cup of water, add saffron strands and keep aside.
 
2. Boil four cups of water. Cook the rice till three-fourth done. Drain.
 
3. Pour lemon juice over the rice and then wash again with cold water so that the rice grains remain separate.
 
4. Mix together rice and sugar syrup in a thick bottom vessel.
 
5. Melt ghee in a pan, sauté cloves, cinnamon and green cardamoms and add to the rice.
 
6. Stir in the raisins and chopped nuts.  Place a tawa underneath the vessel and cook over low heat till all the water is absorbed.
 
7. Serve hot or cold.