Zarda or Sweet Rice is a favorite dessert that’s simple to make and addictive. It is sweetened rice with sugar, toasted nuts. Colorful, flavorful with spices and perfect for parties or festivals.
I grew up with parents who had friends from different cultural backgrounds. It wasn’t intentional, it just happened. Having friends who are culturally different from you allows you to develop an insight into their lives. It shows you how their practices or beliefs are different from yours, and yet, how it leads to their growth. It teaches one to accept differences and to build an understanding that no religion or culture is better than the other but that each has its unique features. One has to learn from them and inculcate the good in them, if possible. Multiculturalism becomes an important concept to inculcate in today’s world of globalization where more than ever, the chances of people living and interacting with racially and culturally different people than their own are heightened. The main advantage of having friends from different ethnic backgrounds and cultures is that it promotes multiculturalism within individuals,andfood.
I attribute my diverse palate to my parents. My dad would be invited to Muslim weddings which I’d happily accompany, I knew there’d be Biryani and zarda, my favorites. What I had at a Muslim wedding and my Pakistani friends homes is so different from what I’d eaten in Northern India parts of India.,This is a Pakistani style sweet rice, rich with ghee and abundance of dried fruits and nuts.
What is Zarda or Sweet rice
Zarda or Sweet Rice is sweetend rice with sugar with a ton of toasted nuts. Some recipes use milk, coconut milk, some cook it with ghee and sugar. Many variations, but similar flavor.
How to make Zarda or Sweet Rice/Zarda Pulao
There’s three steps to this Zarda.
- Using good quality basmati rice is very important. Use good quality rice and soak and cook tp perfection.I have heard soaking it for a minimum of 30 minutes is a must. You can go up to an hour. Wash it well and soak it. There’s couple of ways you can cook the rice. YOu can add it to a large pot of water and take the cooked rice out or you can add double the amount of water and cook until it is fully cooked. I use the latter method.
- While the rice is cooking, making the chashni or the s to syrup. Use white granulated sugar and cook it with water. Add some cardamom in this to infuse the perfume. Cook it for about 5 minutes until you get one thread consistency.
- Toast the dried fruits in ghee. Make sure not to burn them.
- Last step is to put it together. You can layer it or add the chashni in the rice, nuts, and mix. After it’s all mixed, add the color only if you want and cover tightly. Put it on dum or keep the rice pot on top of a griddle for 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit for another 15 minutes before serving.
Serve it with Khoya and some nuts.
- 1 cup basmati, wash very well and soak for 1 hour
- 1 tbsp ghee
- 2 cups water
- pinch salt
- 1 cup sugar
- ⅓ water
- 3 tbsp ghee
- cashews
- almonds
- melon seeds
- Dried Coconut, slice it thinly
- raisins
- dried cranberries
- figs
- Khoya
- Wash and Soak the rice for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Add the rice in a pot, water, 1 tbsp ghee & salt. Bring it to a boil. Simmer it for about 15 minutes. Turn off the heat and let it sit. The rice should be cooked thoroughly like you are ready to eat it right away.
- In another pan, add the sugar and water. .Bring it to a boil, and simmer. You have to get to a single thread consistency.
- While sugar is cooking, in a saute pan, add the ghee, add cashews first and toast. Add chopped almonds, melon seeds, dried coconut, raisins and figs. Toast little and set aside.
- Pour the sugar syrup in the cooked rice. DO NOT WORRY, if the rice gets watery. It will dry up later. Mix the rice and sugar syrup well. Add ½ of the dried fruit mixture to the pot, mix well,add cardamom powder, mix.
- Now add a little color to the top separately. Do not mix it now.
- Cover the pot with a tight lid and put it for dum or over a griddle for 15 minutes, keep the flame on medium. After about 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let sit for another 15 minutes.
- Serve with remaining nuts, khoya and some yogurt if you prefer.
If you make this Zarda/Sweet Rice/Zarda Pulao, please rate the recipe and comment if you liked it and tag me on Instagram using hashtag #foodfashionparty.
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