Muhammar (Bahrain Sweet Rice) - cooking recipe

Ingredients

2 cups basmati rice, washed
1/4 teaspoon saffron
2 tablespoons rose water
3 cardamom pods, cracked
6 cloves
1 cinnamon stick
1/4 cup ghee or 1/4 cup unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
melted butter, for serving

Preparation

In a bowl, combine saffron, cardamom pods, cloves, and rose water; let steep while preparing the remainder of this recipe.
In a saucepan, bring 6 cups of water to a boil; stir in rice and parboil for 8 minutes then drain.
Stir sugar into the drained rice.
In a saucepan (use the same one), heat the ghee or butter, then add the sweetened rice; sprinkle the rose water mixture over the top.
Cover the rim of the saucepan with a cloth or use paper towels to form a tight seal when the lid is placed on the pan; steam over very low heat until rice is tender, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Transfer to a serving platter and top with additional melted butter if desired.