Zarda

231

Ingredients:
Fine Rice – 250 gms
Almonds – 1 tblsp
Ghee – 1/2 cup
Cinnamon – 1 inch stick
Cardamoms – 5
Cloves – 1/4 tsp
Raisins – 1 tblsp
Sugar – 250 gms
Saffron – 1/4 tsp, crushed and soaked in 1 tblsp milk
Juice of 1/2 Lime
Pistachios and Cashews – few, for garnish

Method:
1. Soak the almonds in warm water and peel.
2. Finely slice and fry them lightly in a little ghee.
3. Drain and keep aside.
4. Soak rice in water for 10 minutes.
5. Fry cinnamon, cardamom and cloves in hot ghee over low heat till cardamoms swell and splutter.
6. Soak raisins in water.
7. Drain rice.
8. Heat 500 ml litre water in a pan.
9. Add rice, fried cloves, cinnamon and cardamoms.
10. There should be double the amount of water to rice.
11. Cook till 2/3rds done.
12. Dry saffron on a frying pan.
13. Crush and soak in a tblsp of milk and add it to the rice along with raisins and sugar.
14. Add lime juice.
15. Cook on very low heat on dum or in the oven at 250F for 20 minutes.
16. Garnish with nuts before serving.