Zarda - Red Rose Flower Rice - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice
4 1/2 cups fresh milk
1 tablespoon cardamom seed
1/2 teaspoon saffron essence or 1/2 teaspoon pineapple essence
4 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup fresh rose petals, washed
25 g almonds, blanched
25 g pistachios, blanched
25 g cashews
25 g raisins
edible silver foil, as required
3 tablespoons ghee
salt

Preparation

Heat some of the ghee.
Lightly fry the raisins in this and keep aside.
To the remaining ghee, add the cardamom seeds, followed by the rice and fry on low flame for 5 minutes.
Next, add the milk, sugar, salt and the rose petals.
Cook on a low flame with a partially covered lid till the rice is tender and almost dry.
Now carefully stir in the nuts, raisins and essence.
It is very important that the rice should not be completely dry. It must be still tender and on the moist side once done.
Remove from flame.
Mix well.
Cover with the silver warq and serve hot.