Orange Sweet Rice
Orange sweet rice, also known as zarda, is a delicious and easy to make sweet rice dish that's perfect for all occasions.
ESTIMATED COST : $4.10 or $0.68 a serve
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 grams, 7.05 ounces) basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon butter or ghee
- 2 green cardamom pods
- ⅓ cup (84ml/grams, 2.96 ounces) milk
- ¾ cup (188 ml/grams, 6.63 ounces) water plus extra to cook the rice
- ½ cup (100 grams, 3.53 ounces) sugar or to taste
- ⅛ teaspoon orange or yellow food coloring optional
- Pinch of salt
To Garnish
- Slivered almonds Lightly toasted
Instructions
- Rinse your rice until the water runs clear and then drain off the water. Soak the rice in room temperature water for at least 20 minutes. After this completely drain the rice.
- In a medium sized pot, add water till about ¾ of the way up and bring to the boil. Add the rice and then reduce the water to a simmer.
- Simmer the rice over low to medium heat for 10 to 15 minutes, or until the rice starts to become tender. Stir occasionally. Then drain the rice and set aside. See note 1.
- In a medium sized saucepan heat the butter (or ghee). Once hot add the cardamom pods and fry for 1 to 2 minutes. Then add the milk, ¾ cup water, sugar, food coloring (if using), and salt. Stir and allow the sugar to completely dissolve. Taste for sweetness, if you want it sweeter add more sugar. Next mix through the rice.
- Bring the liquid to a boil, then reduce the heat to bring it to a simmer. Cover with a lid and cook for 10 to 15 minutes or until the liquid is almost all absorbed and the rice is tender.
- Turn off the heat, allow the rice to rest for 5 to 10 minutes, covered. Remove lid and remove cardamom pods. Serve.
Notes
- This is called parboiling your rice. It will help the rice get a soft and fluffy texture in the final dish. Cook the rice until just tender. Be careful not to overcook your rice.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serveCalories: 209kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 3gFat: 3gSaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 25mgPotassium: 20mgSugar: 17g
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