Zarda Pulao

We are starting 25th Edition of Blogging Marathon today. Its been awesome doing different themes for each marathon. I have been part of BM since its 5th edition. I wonder how Srivalli comes up with such a wonderful themes. It was more fun seeing and learning new and different recipes from all the lovely bloggers.
My theme for the 1st week of Bm 25  is Cooking from a Cook Book.  I bought the book "Indian home Cooking" by Suvir Saran and Stephanie Iyness from the local library. It had variety of recipes from soups to sweets. For today I choose a different rice recipe which is called Zarda Pulao. This simi sweet dish has lots of nuts  and  flavored with saffron. Any gravy curry goes well with this.

We need:


Basmathi rice 2cups
Water 4 cups
Saffron threads 1/4 sp
Milk 1sp
Oil or ghee 1/4 cup
Cinnamon 2inch stick
Green cardamom 10 crushed
Grated ginger 1sp
Raisins / currants 1/4 cup
Blanched almonds 1/4 cup
Cashew nuts 1/4 cup
Sugar 1/4 cup


Method:


Wash rice throughly and soak in water for 20 to 30minutes.
Meanwhile roast the saffron on low flame till it darkens up.
Crush to a coarse powder and add it to the milk.

Heat pan and add oil or ghee.
Add cinnamon stick, cardamom and freshly grated ginger.
Saute for a minute and add almonds, cashew and raisins.
The original recipe had currants but I used raisins instead of currants.
Cook on low flame for a minute.
Meanwhile separate rice from water and keep aside.
Save the water for further cooking.
Add rice to the pan and keep stirring on low flame for 2 minutes.
Now add the water which we saved before and keep stiring.
Now cover with lid and cook for 15 minutes on medium flame.
Remove lid and add sugar and drizzle the saffron water on top.
Now cover with lid and cook further till done on low flame.
Serve hot.

Check to see what my fellow bloggers are cooking for BM 25.