Zarda Recipe

Time and servings

Prep time	5 min
Cook time	25 min
Soaking Time	30 min
Total time	30 min
Serves	4 servings

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Ingredients

• ¼ cup ghee / clarified butter
• 8 cashew / kaju (halves)
• 5 almond / badam (chopped)
• 2 tsp raisins / kishmish
• 2 tsp dry coconut / kopra
• 2 pods cardamom / elachi
• 4 cloves / lavang
• 1 cup water
• ¼ tsp saffron / kesar
• ¼ tsp orange food colour (optional)
• ½ cup basmati rice (soaked 30 minutes)
• ½ cup sugar

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Instructions

1. firstly, in a large kadai heat 2 tbsp ghee and roast 8 cashew, 5 almond, 2 tsp raisins and 2 tsp dry coconut.
2. roast to golden brown on low flame and keep aside.
3. in the remaining ghee add 2 pods cardamom and 4 cloves.
4. also add 1 cup water, ¼ tsp saffron and ¼ tsp orange food colour.
5. mix well making sure the colour is mixed well.
6. further, add 1 cup soaked basmati rice (30 minutes) and mix well.
7. cover and cook on medium flame for 10 minutes.
8. mix gently, making sure rice is half cooked.
9. further add ½ cup sugar, 2 tbsp ghee and roasted dry fruits.
10. mix gently making sure sugar melts.
11. cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
12. stir in between to prevent from burning.
13. cook until the rice is cooked completely. and do not overcook as rice turns mushy.
14. finally, serve meethe chawal / zarda pulao hot garnished with few chopped nuts.

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Step-by-step

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Video

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Notes

• firstly, roast the dry fruits on low flame to prevent from burning.
• also, you can use leftover rice to prepare zarda recipe.
• furthermore, zarda pulao can be prepared in pressure cooker for 2 whistles on medium flame.
• additionally, sugar can be replaced with jaggery for a healthy alternative.
• finally, meethe chawal / zarda pulao recipe tastes great when prepared with fresh homemade ghee.