Anyone attending a milad (non secular gathering) or a Muslim marriage ceremony within the subcontinent would have come throughout this saffron-infused glistening dessert,” says chef Asma Khan.
“Saffron is likely one of the world’s most costly spices, however you solely want just a little, and infusing it in heat milk is a really efficient method to deliver out its flavour. The addition of nuts offers this dessert an extra luxurious contact. Positively serve with some thick or clotted cream on the aspect.”
Zarda – candy rice with saffron and nuts
Serves: 4-6
Components:
½ tsp saffron strands
2 tbsp milk
250g basmati rice
100g ghee or butter (or flavourless vegetable oil), plus further for greasing
6 cloves
8 inexperienced cardamom pods
40g every shelled unsalted pistachios and unsalted blanched almonds, lower into thick slivers
30g dried apricots, lower into small cubes
150g granulated sugar
2 tbsp kewra (screwpine) water or rose water
Technique:
1. Put the saffron in a small bowl, heat the milk to tepid and pour over the saffron strands.
2. Gently wash the rice in a big bowl with chilly water (not beneath operating water as this may break the ideas of the rice, which can make the rice sticky). Change the water a number of occasions till it appears to be like clear, then soak the rice in chilly water for no less than half-hour or as much as three hours. Drain the rice nicely in a strainer.
3. Carry one-and-a-half-litres of water to the boil in a big pan. Add the rice as soon as the water is boiling and boil till it’s half completed. It’s arduous to present an actual time for this as there are too many variables, however the best way to verify is to take away a single grain of rice from the recent water and squeeze it between your fingers – there ought to nonetheless be a tough core of barely raw rice. Drain the half-cooked rice in a strainer and unfold the rice thinly on a platter to chill and forestall it from persevering with to cook dinner.
4. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gasoline 4.
5. Warmth the ghee or butter in a heavy-based pan over a medium–excessive warmth. Add the cloves and cardamoms, adopted by the pistachios, almonds and apricots. Add 250ml of chilly water and the sugar and stir till the sugar dissolves.
6. Butter a casserole dish and add the rice, then pour over the nice and cozy, spice-infused sugar syrup. Add the saffron-infused milk and stir gently to make sure the saffron is evenly distributed. Cowl tightly with foil and bake for Quarter-hour.
7. Take the dish out of the oven. Gently fluff the rice, then re-cover and bake for an additional 10-Quarter-hour. Take away the foil and go away the dessert to face for a couple of minutes.
8. Sprinkle the kewra or rose water over the nice and cozy rice earlier than serving.
‘Ammu: Indian Residence-Cooking To Nourish Your Soul’ by Asma Khan (printed by Ebury Press, £26; images by Laura Edwards), obtainable now.
Kaynak: briturkish.com
