"Zarda" is Delicious Pakistani Sweet Dish Recipe.

A Pakistani sweet rice, also known as "Zarda", is a popular sweet dish made with rice, sugar, milk, and aromatic spices. Here is a step-by-step recipe for making Pakistani sweet rice:

Ingredients:

2 cups basmati rice

4 cups water

2 cups sugar

1 cup milk

1/2 cup ghee (clarified butter)

1/2 teaspoon cardamom powder

1/4 teaspoon saffron strands

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1/4 cup chopped pistachios

1/4 cup raisins

1/4 cup shredded coconut

2-3 drops yellow food color (optional)

Instructions:

1 Wash the rice in cold water and soak it in water for 30 minutes. Drain the rice and set it aside.

2 In a large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add the rice and cook it for 8-10 minutes or until it is about 70-80% done. Drain the rice and set it aside.

3 In a separate pot, heat the ghee over medium heat. Add the cardamom powder and saffron strands and stir for a few seconds until fragrant.

4 Add the sugar and 1 cup of water to the pot and stir until the sugar dissolves. Bring the mixture to a boil and let it cook for 5-7 minutes or until it forms a thick syrup.

5 Add the cooked rice to the pot with the sugar syrup and stir well to coat the rice evenly.

6 Add the milk to the pot and stir well. Cover the pot with a lid and let it cook on low heat for 10-15 minutes or until the rice is fully cooked and has absorbed all the liquid.

7 In a separate pan, lightly roast the almonds, pistachios, raisins, and shredded coconut until lightly browned and fragrant.

8 Add the roasted nuts and raisins to the pot with the rice and stir well.

9 If using, add 2-3 drops of yellow food color to the pot and stir well. This will give the sweet rice a yellow color.

10 Serve the sweet rice hot, garnished with extra nuts and raisins if desired.

                                Enjoy your delicious Pakistani sweet rice!