No matter what you call it—Zarda Pulao or Meethe Chawal—this delightful and sunny meal is ideal for festive occasions. Basmati rice, almonds, dry fruits, and saffron are used to make this fragrant, sweet pulao, also known as sweet rice. The best part is that you can create my recipe for Zarda at home with just a few simple ingredients and a short amount of time.
The term zard, which in Persian and Urdu means "yellow," gave the dish its name. The yellow colour of typical zarda pulao is a result of adding yellow food colouring or add ing a few strand of kesar.
Zarda pulao can be made in many different ways in India or similar to neighbouring nations, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Both adults and children will enjoy the wonderfully delicious sweet rice made with this Zarda recipe. You can add different types of nuts and dry fruit to the rice. If you have raisins, add them since they provide delightful pops of sweet and chewy texture. However, you have a choice whether to add raisins.
Ingredients:
½ cup basmati rice
Water for soaking rice
5 to 6 cloves
⅛ tsp saffron or 3 to 4 pinches saffron (kesar)
1 cup water for pressure cooking rice
Other Ingredients
3 tbsp Ghee (clarfied butter)
¾ tsp green cardamom powder
½ cup sugar
8 almonds – chopped or sliced
8 cashews – chopped or sliced
8 pistachios – chopped or sliced
10 to 12 raisins or add as required
Method:
Rinse ½ cup basmati rice in water thoroughly until the starch-free water runs clear. Then add enough water to soak the basmati rice for 30 minutes. Drain all the water from the rice after 30 minutes, then set it aside. Pour 1 cup of water into a 2-liter pressure cooker. Add 1/8 teaspoon of saffron threads(3 to 4 pinches). Stir the saffron threads and water together with a spoon. After that, add 5 to 6 cloves and 1/2 cup of rice. If you like, you can even add 7 to 9 cloves. Cook under pressure for two whistles, or for 6 to 7 minutes, over a medium flame. Open the lid and examine the rice to see if it is cooked once the pressure has subsided. It is plenty to cook the rice. Toss the rice with care.
Add three tablespoons of ghee to a large pan or kadai. Spread ghee evenly on the pan's sides using a spoon or spatula. By doing this, the rice grains won't adhere to the pan while they're cooking. Fill the pan with the cooked rice. Add 1/2 cup of sugar. Add 1/4 teaspoon of cardamom powder. For a stronger cardamom flavor, you can also add 1 teaspoon of cardamom powder. Mix thoroughly but gently to properly distribute the sugar among the grains of cooked rice. Cook the pulao ingredients over a low heat or flame. You'll see that the sugar is melting and that the pulao has a liquid consistency. When necessary, stir the zarda pulao mixture. Cook until the sugar mixture is completely dry. When the rice is finished cooking, cover the pan with a moist cloth or cotton napkin if the grains seem tough or dense. Cook the pulao for 20 to 30 seconds while it is covered with a lid. When there is no longer any liquid consistency, add the 8 pistachios, 8 almonds, and 8 cashews. (sliced). Mix thoroughly, then turn off the flame. You can add raisins at this stage. Serve the zarda rice warm or hot. As an alternative, you can spread zarda over a sizable platter before serving. When serving, top the zarda pulao with some cashews, raisins, almonds, and pistachios. Enjoy.