Whether or not you name it Zarda Pulao or Meethe Chawal, one factor stays the identical: this shiny and sunny dish is ideal for festive events. This can be a aromatic, candy pulao or candy rice made with basmati rice, nuts, dry fruits, and saffron. Better of all, you solely want 8 components and half-hour of energetic time to make my Zarda recipe at dwelling.

About Zarda Recipe
Zarda pulao is so named as a result of the phrase zard means ‘yellow’ in Persian and Urdu languages. Typical zarda pulao has a yellow shade from utilizing yellow meals shade. In my Zarda Recipe, I’ve used saffron to get that sunshiny shade and haven’t used any synthetic colours in anyway.
Zarda rice is made throughout festive events in our dwelling. That is my mother-in-law’s recipe and it has turn into my go-to for this scrumptious dish. The tactic shared right here is simple and never troublesome.
Love candy or subtly spiced rice dishes? Attempt our Jaggery Rice & Kashmiri Pulao subsequent!
There are a lot of variations of constructing zarda pulao in India in addition to in neighboring nations like Bangladesh and Pakistan. What I’m sharing right here is how we make Zarda at dwelling and it will not be thought-about genuine by all events. That mentioned, it’s tremendous scrumptious.
This Zarda recipe yields a very scrumptious candy rice that will probably be liked by each grown-ups and youngsters. There are numerous dry fruit and nuts that you would be able to add to the rice. I’ve used a mixture of cashews, almonds, and pistachios.
Raisins are additionally usually added, however I didn’t have any the day I made this batch. Do add raisins you probably have them, as they add beautiful pops of candy and chewy texture all through.
Serve Zarda Rice as a candy snack or a dessert. The recipe can simply be doubled or tripled in response to your wants.
Elements & Substitutions
- Basmati Rice – I really like aromatic basmati rice for nearly each recipe. That mentioned, be happy to make use of any lengthy grain rice you might have readily available (e.g. jasmine).
- Cloves – I take advantage of entire cloves right here for probably the most potent taste. In a pinch, you possibly can swap in floor cloves.
- Saffron (Kesar) – For shiny yellow coloring and a little bit of taste.
- Water – If potential, use filtered water for the perfect taste.
- Ghee (Clarified Butter) – For richness. Should you desire to make this vegan, swap in edible coconut oil or vegan butter.
- Inexperienced Cardamom Powder – For heat.
- Sugar – For sweetness. Be happy to make use of jaggery, cane sugar, or every other sweetener you favor.
- Almonds, Cashews & Pistachios – Any number of toasted nuts can be utilized right here. You may as well substitute seeds like pepitas (pumpkin seeds) or sunflower seeds if you’re a nut-free family. Alternatively, omit them altogether.
- Raisins – These are my most used dried fruit, however be happy to make use of any that you just and your loved ones desire.
Step-by-Step Information
Find out how to make Zarda Rice
This lovely meethe chawal comes collectively with out a lot fuss. Right here’s the way it’s accomplished:
Stress Cook dinner Rice
1. Rinse ½ cup basmati rice very nicely in water until the water runs away from starch. Then soak basmati rice for 20 to half-hour in sufficient water.
After 20 to half-hour drain all of the water and hold the rice apart.

2. In a 2 litre strain cooker, pour 1 cup water.

3. Add ⅛ teaspoon saffron strands (3 to 4 pinches of kesar).

4. With a spoon, stir in order that the saffron strands combine with water.

5. Then add ½ cup of the soaked basmati rice.

6. Add 5 to six cloves. You may even add 7 to 9 cloves when you desire.

7. Stress cook dinner for two whistles or for about 6 to 7 minutes on medium warmth.

8. As soon as the strain settles down, then open the lid and verify the rice if its cooked.

9. The rice simply must be cooked. Gently fluff the rice. You may as well choose to cook dinner the rice grains till they’re al dente.

Make Zarda Pulao
1. In a heavy kadai or pan, add 3 tablespoons ghee.

2. With a spoon or spatula unfold ghee on all sides of the pan. That is accomplished in order that the rice grains don’t keep on with the pan when cooking.

3. Add the cooked rice within the pan.

4. Add ½ cup of sugar.

5. Sprinkle ¾ teaspoon inexperienced cardamom powder. You may as well add 1 teaspoon cardamom powder for a extra pronounced cardamom aroma.

6. Combine nicely however gently, in order that the sugar will get blended evenly with cooked rice grains.

7. On a low flame or low warmth, cook dinner the candy rice combination. You will notice the sugar melting and a few liquid consistency within the rice.

8. Stir the zarda rice combination often.

9. Cook dinner until the sugar resolution dries up.
If the rice grains really feel arduous, chewy or dense after cooking, then cowl the pan with a moist fabric or moist cotton serviette. Then cowl with a lid and cook dinner zarda pulao for 20 to 30 seconds on low warmth.

10. As soon as there is no such thing as a liquid consistency within the candy rice, then add 8 pistachios (sliced), 8 almonds (sliced) and eight cashews (sliced).

11. Combine nicely and switch off the warmth. If including raisins, then you possibly can add at this step.

12. Serve Zarda or Meethe Chawal scorching or heat. Alternatively, you possibly can unfold Candy Rice on a big plate after which serve.
Garnish Zarda Rice with some cashews, raisins, almonds, and pistachios whereas serving. Take pleasure in!
FAQs
Ooops! That sounds such as you forgot to rinse your rice till the water ran clear. Sticky, mushy consistency is often an indication that there’s an excessive amount of starch, which is why we rinse it earlier than cooking.
Should you overcook the rice within the strain cooker, it should get sticky as you cook dinner it with the sugar combination. Make certain to cook dinner the rice till it’s simply al dente earlier than transferring on to the subsequent step.
If the rice grains really feel arduous, chewy or dense after cooking, then cowl the pan with a moist fabric or cotton serviette. Then cowl pan with a lid and cook dinner zarda rice for 20 to 30 seconds.

Extra Indian rice recipes
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Zarda Recipe | Meethe Chawal (Indian Candy Rice)
Zarda Recipe additionally referred to as Meethe Chawal (that means Candy Rice) is a aromatic rice preparation made with basmati rice, nuts, ghee, dry fruits and saffron.
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook dinner Time 20 minutes
Complete Time 50 minutes
Stop your display from going darkish whereas making the recipe
strain cooking rice
Rinse ½ cup basmati rice very nicely in water until the water runs away from starch. Then soak basmati rice for half-hour in sufficient water. After half-hour drain all of the water and hold rice apart.
In a 2 litre strain cooker, pour 1 cup water.
Add â…› teaspoon saffron strands (3 to 4 pinches).
With a spoon stir, in order that the saffron strands combine with water.
Then add ½ cup rice and 5 to six cloves. You may even add 7 to 9 cloves in order for you.
Stress cook dinner for two whistles or for about 6 to 7 minutes on medium flame.
As soon as the strain settles down, then open the lid and verify the rice if its cooked. The rice simply should be cooked. Gently fluff the rice.
making zarda
In a heavy kadai or pan, add 3 tablespoons ghee.
With a spoon or spatula unfold ghee on all sides of the pan. That is accomplished in order that the rice grains don’t keep on with the pan when cooking.
Add the cooked rice within the pan.
Add ½ cup sugar.
Sprinkle ¾ teaspoon cardamom powder. You may as well add 1 teaspoon cardamom powder for a pronounced cardamom aroma.
Combine nicely however gently, in order that the sugar will get blended evenly with cooked rice grains.
On a low flame or low warmth, cook dinner the pulao combination. You will notice the sugar melting and a few liquid consistency in pulao.
Stir the zarda pulao combination often.
Cook dinner until the sugar resolution dries up. After cooking, if in case the rice grains really feel arduous or dense, then cowl the pan with a moist fabric or cotton serviette. Cowl with a lid and cook dinner pulao for 20 to 30 seconds.
As soon as there is no such thing as a liquid consistency, then add 8 pistachios (sliced), 8 almonds (sliced) and eight cashews (sliced). Combine nicely and swap off the flame. If including raisins, then you possibly can add at this step.
Serve zarda rice scorching or heat. Alternatively you possibly can unfold zarda a big plate after which serve. Garnish zarda pulao with some cashews, raisins, almonds and pistachios whereas serving.
- The recipe will be doubled or tripled.
- You should use a impartial flavored oil as an alternative of ghee.Â
- Add nuts and dry fruits of your option to make it extra flavorful.Â
- If you would like you possibly can add a little bit of orange or yellow pure shade extract.Â
Diet Information
Zarda Recipe | Meethe Chawal (Indian Candy Rice)
Quantity Per Serving
Energy 418 Energy from Fats 153
% Each day Worth*
Fats 17g26%
Saturated Fats 8g50%
Monounsaturated Fats 3g
Ldl cholesterol 33mg11%
Sodium 12mg1%
Potassium 133mg4%
Carbohydrates 63g21%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 35g39%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 400IU8%
Calcium 16mg2%
Iron 0.8mg4%
* % Each day Values are primarily based on a 2000 calorie weight loss plan.
This Zarda recipe from the archives, initially printed in June 2017 has been up to date and republished on February 2023.
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