Zarda recipe Or meethe chawal with video and step by step photos – these meethe chawal or zarda pulao is a fragrant sweet pulao made with rice, dry fruits and saffron. The typical zarda pulao has a yellow color in the cooked rice grains. This color is got by using yellow food color. In this recipe, I have used saffron to get yellow color and not used any artificial colors. Zarda pulao is so-called as the word ‘zard’ means ‘yellow color’ in persian and urdu language.
Zarda rice is made during festive occasions in our home. This is my mother in law’s recipe and this time when we made zarda rice, we took video and pics too. The method shared here is easy and not difficult. Two more sweet rice recipes on blog are:
- Jaggery rice
- Kashmiri pulao (on the sweeter side)
There are many variations of making zarda pulao made in India as well as in neighboring countries like bangladesh and Pakistan. What I am sharing here is how we make zarda at home and it may not fit in the authentic recipe tag.
This zarda recipe gives a really delicious sweet pulao and will be loved by both grown-ups and kids. There are various dry fruit and nuts that you can add in the pulao. I have used a mix of cashews, almonds and pistachios. Raisins are also added. So do add raisins if you have them. I did not have raisins, hence could not add them.
Serve zarda rice as a sweet snack or a dessert. the recipe can be doubled or tripled.
How to make zarda recipe
Pressure cooking rice
1. Rinse ½ cup basmati rice very well in water till the water runs clear of starch. Then soak basmati rice for 30 minutes in enough water. After 30 minutes drain all the water and keep rice aside.
2. In a 2 litre pressure cooker, pour 1 cup water.
3. Add ⅛ teaspoon saffron strands ( 3 to 4 pinches kesar).
4. With a spoon stir, so that the saffron strands mix with water.
5. Then add ½ cup of rice.
6. Add 5 to 6 cloves. You can even add 7 to 9 cloves if you want.
7. Pressure cook for 2 whistles or for about 6 to 7 minutes on medium flame.
8. Once the pressure settles down, then open the lid and check the rice if its cooked.
9. The rice just needs to be cooked. Gently fluff the rice.
Making zarda pulao
1. In a heavy kadai or pan, add 3 tablespoons ghee.
2. With a spoon or spatula spread ghee on all sides of the pan. This is done so that the rice grains do not stick to the pan when cooking.
3. Add the cooked rice in the pan.
4. Add ½ cup of sugar.
5. Sprinkle ¾ teaspoon cardamom powder. You can also add 1 teaspoon cardamom powder for a pronounced cardamom aroma.
6. Mix well but gently, so that the sugar gets mixed evenly with cooked rice grains.
7. On a low flame or low heat, cook the pulao mixture. You will see the sugar melting and some liquid consistency in pulao.
8. Stir the zarda pulao mixture occasionally.
9. Cook till the sugar solution dries up. After cooking, if in case the rice grains feel hard or dense, then cover the pan with a damp cloth or cotton napkin. Cover with a lid and cook zarda pulao for 20 to 30 seconds.
10. Once there is no liquid consistency, then add 8 pistachios (sliced), 8 almonds (sliced) and 8 cashews (sliced).
11. mix well and switch off the flame. If adding raisins, then you can add at this step.
12. Serve meethe chawal hot or warm. alternatively, you can spread zarda on a large plate and then serve. Garnish zarda rice with some cashews, raisins, almonds and pistachios while serving.
More Indian rice recipes
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Zarda Recipe
By Dassana Amit
Ingredients
for cooking rice
- ½ cup basmati rice
- enough water for soaking rice
- 5 to 6 cloves
- ⅛ teaspoon saffron or 3 to 4 pinches saffron (kesar)
- 1 cup water for pressure cooking rice
other ingredients
- 3 tablespoons ghee (clarified butter)
- ¾ teaspoon 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
Instructions
pressure cooking rice
- Rinse ½ cup basmati rice very well in water till the water runs clear of starch. Then soak basmati rice for 30 minutes in enough water. After 30 minutes drain all the water and keep rice aside.
- In a 2 litre pressure cooker, pour 1 cup water.
- Add ⅛ teaspoon saffron strands (3 to 4 pinches).
- With a spoon stir, so that the saffron strands mix with water.
- Then add ½ cup rice and 5 to 6 cloves. You can even add 7 to 9 cloves if you want.
- Pressure cook for 2 whistles or for about 6 to 7 minutes on medium flame.
- Once the pressure settles down, then open the lid and check the rice if its cooked. The rice just need to be cooked. Gently fluff the rice.
making zarda
- In a heavy kadai or pan, add 3 tablespoons ghee.
- With a spoon or spatula spread ghee on all sides of the pan. This is done so that the rice grains do not stick to the pan when cooking.
- Add the cooked rice in the pan.
- Add ½ cup sugar.
- Sprinkle ¾ teaspoon cardamom powder. You can also add 1 teaspoon cardamom powder for a pronounced cardamom aroma.
- Mix well but gently, so that the sugar gets mixed evenly with cooked rice grains.
- On a low flame or low heat, cook the pulao mixture. You will see the sugar melting and some liquid consistency in pulao.
- Stir the zarda pulao mixture occasionally.
- Cook till the sugar solution dries up. After cooking, if in case the rice grains feel hard or dense, then cover the pan with a damp cloth or cotton napkin. Cover with a lid and cook pulao for 20 to 30 seconds.
- Once there is no liquid consistency, then add 8 pistachios (sliced), 8 almonds (sliced) and 8 cashews (sliced). Mix well and switch off the flame. If adding raisins, then you can add at this step.
- Serve zarda rice hot or warm. Alternatively you can spread zarda a large plate and then serve. Garnish zarda pulao with some cashews, raisins, almonds and pistachios while serving.
Video
Notes
- The recipe can be doubled or tripled.
- You can use a neutral flavored oil instead of ghee.
- Add dry fruits of your choice.
- If you want you can add a bit of orange or yellow natural color extract.
Nutrition Info Approximate values
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Your recepies are awesum….I tried meethe chawal…it was very delicious….yummy yummy
thanks rupila for sharing the feedback on meethe chawal. happy cooking.