This recipe of Zarda Pulao has its origin from the Persian, where the word 'zard' means 'yellow colour'. Even in Urdu it means the same. But this recipe is equally popular in North Indian regions also and named as Meethe Chawal. The yellow colour is got by Saffron/ Kesar and yellow food colour. There are many variations of this recipe but i am sharing the recipe like we make in our home. I have prepared Sweet Yellow Rice for Basant Panchami. This recipe is loved by everyone- elders, grown-ups and even kids.
Finally, I would like you to checkout my Indian Sweets & Dessert Recipes Collection and Rice Recipes Collection also.
Instructions for how to prepare Meethe Chawal:
- Firstly, put few saffron strands/kesar and 2 pinches of yellow food colour in 1 tbsp warm milk and keep it aside. Then take 1 cup Basmati Rice in a bowl.
- Rinse rice very well in water till the water runs clear of starch. Then soak basmati rice for 30 minutes in enough water.
- In a large pan/ kadai heat 1 tbsp ghee and add 2 green cardamom and 1 piece of cinnamon stick. Sauté them in hot ghee for 30 seconds.
- Then add 12 almonds cut into half and roast. When the almonds slightly roasted then add 12 cashew nuts cut into half and roast them.
- Next, add 1 tbsp raisins/kishmish for few seconds or until raisins puff-up.
- Then add 1 tbsp grated dry coconut or desiccated coconut to it and roast for more 30 seconds.
- Then add 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup fresh cream/malai to it. Bring a boil on medium flame.
- Now add 1 cup soaked basmati rice to it and mix well. Also add Kesar milk, which we prepared earlier. Mix well.
- Cover and cook on medium flame for 12 minutes.
- Mix gently, making sure rice is 70% cooked. Then take 2/3 rice in a plate very gently.
- Add half of 3/4 cup sugar on the remaining rice in a pan and then spread 1/3 of rice over the sugar.
- Next again add the leftover sugar and spread remaining 1/3 rice over it.
- Cover and cook until sugar melts. Then stir the rice gently and again cover and cook for 7-8 minutes or until rice absorbs all the sugar and cook properly. Stir in between to prevent from burning.
- Cook until the rice is cooked completely. Make sure do not overcook them as rice turns mushy.
- Sweet Rice or Meethe Chawal is ready to serve. Enjoy!
1. Firstly, put few saffron strands/kesar and 2 pinches of yellow food colour in 1 tbsp warm milk and keep it aside. Then take 1 cup Basmati Rice in a bowl.
2. Rinse rice very well in water till the water runs clear of starch. Then soak basmati rice for 30 minutes in enough water.
3. In a large pan/ kadai heat 1 tbsp ghee and add 2 green cardamom and 1 piece of cinnamon stick. Sauté them in hot ghee for 30 seconds.
4. Then add 12 almonds cut into half and roast.
5. When the almonds slightly roasted then add 12 cashew nuts cut into half and roast them.
6. Next, add 1 tbsp raisins/kishmish for few seconds or until raisins puff-up.
7. Then add 1 tbsp grated dry coconut or desiccated coconut to it and roast for more 30 seconds.
8. Then add 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup fresh cream/malai to it.
9. Bring a boil on medium flame.
10. Now add 1 cup soaked basmati rice to it and mix well.
11. Also add Kesar milk, which we prepared earlier. Mix well.
12. Cover and cook on medium flame for 12 minutes.
13. Mix gently, making sure rice is 70% cooked. Then take 2/3 rice in a plate very gently.
14. Add half of 3/4 cup sugar on the remaining rice in a pan and then spread 1/3 of rice over the sugar.
15. Next again add the leftover sugar and spread remaining 1/3 rice over it.
16. Cover and cook until sugar melts. Then stir the rice gently and again cover and cook for 7-8 minutes or until rice absorbs all the sugar and cook properly. Stir in between to prevent from burning.
17. Cook until the rice is cooked completely. Make sure do not overcook them as rice turns mushy.
18. Sweet Rice or Meethe Chawal is ready to serve. Enjoy!
Tips:
- Always use Basmati Rice to prepare Zarda Pulao.
- For vegan recipe, you can use oil. But Meethe Chawal tastes great when prepared with Ghee.
- You can add or skip dry fruits according to your preference.
- Always roast dry fruits on low flame to prevent from burning.
- In place of sugar you can use Desi Khand or Jaggery for a healthy alternatively.
- You can replace fresh cream/ malai with same amount of milk.
- This recipe can be doubled or tripled.
- Adding food colour is optional.
- Sweet Yellow Rice tastes great when served hot or warm.
AuthorNidhi kakkarIngredients
Directions
1. Firstly, put few saffron strands/kesar and 2 pinches of yellow food colour in 1 tbsp warm milk and keep it aside. Then take 1 cup Basmati Rice in a bowl.
2. Rinse rice very well in water till the water runs clear of starch. Then soak basmati rice for 30 minutes in enough water.
3. In a large pan/ kadai heat 1 tbsp ghee and add 2 green cardamom and 1 piece of cinnamon stick. Sauté them in hot ghee for 30 seconds.
4. Then add 12 almonds cut into half and roast.
5. When the almonds slightly roasted then add 12 cashew nuts cut into half and roast them.
6. Next, add 1 tbsp raisins/kishmish for few seconds or until raisins puff-up.
7. Then add 1 tbsp grated dry coconut or desiccated coconut to it and roast for more 30 seconds.
8. Then add 1 cup milk and 1/2 cup fresh cream/malai to it.
9. Bring a boil on medium flame.
10. Now add 1 cup soaked basmati rice to it and mix well.
11. Also add Kesar milk, which we prepared earlier. Mix well.
12. Cover and cook on medium flame for 12 minutes.
13. Mix gently, making sure rice is 70% cooked. Then take 2/3 rice in a plate very gently.
14. Add half of 3/4 cup sugar on the remaining rice in a pan and then spread 1/3 of rice over the sugar.
15. Next again add the leftover sugar and spread remaining 1/3 rice over it.
16. Cover and cook until sugar melts. Then stir the rice gently and again cover and cook for 7-8 minutes or until rice absorbs all the sugar and cook properly. Stir in between to prevent from burning.
17. Cook until the rice is cooked completely. Make sure do not overcook them as rice turns mushy.
18. Sweet Rice or Meethe Chawal is ready to serve. Enjoy!
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