Baisakhi is a day of kinship and warmth and, definitely, new beginnings.
Meals bring everyone a little closer. And festivals centre around memories of family kitchens and cooking together.
Chef Roopa Nabar presents a Zarda Pulao, a festive sweet rice preparation that has been around for over 400 years. Zarda means yellow, which is the colour of the final saffron-hued rich dish that gives off beautiful aromas.
Photograph: Chef Roopa Nabar for Rediff
Zarda Pulao
Serves: 3-4
Ingredients
- 1½ cups sugar
- ½ cups water
- 1 cup raw basmati rice, soaked
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- ½ cup ghee
- 2-3 lavang or cloves
- ½ tsp green elaichi or cardamom powder
- 1 tbsp kesar or saffron, soaked in a tbsp warm milk
- 1 tbsp almond slivers
- 1 tbsp dried coconut sliver
- 1 tbsp pistachios and/or cashews
- 1 tbsp raisins
Method
- Dissolve the sugar in half a cup of water and add the lemon juice to it and keep aside.
- Reserve 1 tbsp ghee and heat the remaining ghee over medium heat in a saucepan or a kadhai.
Add in the cloves, raw rice, sauté for 2 minutes over medium heat.
Now add 2 cups hot water, mix well, and bring to a boil.
Cover, lower the heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Add in the sugar syrup and stir well.
Add the cardamom powder, saffron milk.
Mix well, cover and cook till dry.
- In another saucepan or a small kadhai, add remaining 1 tbsp ghee and, over low heat, fry the nuts, raisins, coconut slivers till golden brown.
Keep aside.
- Mix the nuts, raisins, coconut into the cooked, fragrant rice, cover, and cook for 2-3 minutes more.
- Take off heat and serve hot.
Recipe: Kind courtesy TTK Prestige.