Medically reviewed by Shahzadi Devje, Registered Dietitian (RD) & Certified Diabetes Educator (CDE)
This Zarda Sweet Rice is a healthier twist to a traditional recipe, with half the sugar and less fat. The rice is cooked in nuts, cardamom, sugar, coconut and dried fruits and finished with saffron milk to create an irresistible end to your meal. Celebrate Eid and delight your guests with this festive recipe!
If you've ever had Zarda Sweet Rice before, then you'll understand why it's a dessert to relish. Every grain of rice is enveloped with the honey-like floral zest of saffron. It's paired with the queen of spices, cardamom - a match made in heaven.
When Ramadan comes to a close, I always wish my mum would make Zarda Sweet Rice for me, paired with Gujarati-style daal. It may seem like an odd combination to some, but I love it. The salty, spicy daal compliments the Zarda Sweet Rice perfectly.
What Does Zarda Mean?
The word Zarda comes from the Urdu word Zard which means "yellow," hence why this beautiful bright yellow rice dish has its name. It's a popular dessert in Pakistan, Bangladesh, India, Iran and Afghanistan - with slight variations in name and ingredients.
How to Prep Ahead
The rice and almonds both need to be soaked for around 20 minutes before cooking, so it's a good idea to prep this in advance. Wash and drain the rice till the water no longer runs cloudy, then soak the rice and almonds in separate bowls.
Ingredients for Making Sweet Rice
- Basmati rice - soaked
- Almonds - soaked
- Milk warm
- Saffron
- Yellow food colouring - for a more intense colour
- Butter - adds richness and flavour. I use vegan butter
- Sugar - pure cane (you can use regular sugar as well)
- Cashews
- Raisins - you can use sultanas, cranberries or apricots
- Desiccated coconut - (finely shredded coconut)
- Cardamom pods - crushed finely
How to Make Zarda - Step by Step
- Prepare all the ingredients (Image 1). Warm the milk and add the saffron. Set aside, allowing the saffron to infuse its flavour and colour into the milk. In the meantime, heat a large pan on high heat and add the butter to melt
- Stir in the sugar, nuts, apricots, coconut, cardamom, water and food colouring and stir well (Image 2)
- Cook on high heat, stirring continuously until the sugar has completely melted and the water has reduced by half (Image 3)
- Add the cooked rice and stir gently (not to break the rice), but ensure that all the rice is combined well with the ingredients and colour (Image 4)
- Pour the saffron milk mixture over the rice (Image 5)
- Switch off and remove from the heat. Cover with foil or a tight lid, and let it sit. Serve with chopped almonds on top (Image 6)
This version of my Zarda Sweet Rice recipe turned out extra delicious this time. Instead of using raisins and sultanas (which are commonly added), I added Malatya dried apricots. I cannot help but be drawn to the taste of Malatya apricots.
You may remember the last time I used Malatya apricots, to create my 5-minute Pistachio-Apricot Laddus. Those little balls packed a nutritional punch.
You know, I don't have time for complicated recipes. Over the years, I've tried to make this Zarda Sweet Rice more straightforward - to save time.
By soaking the rice for 20 minutes, you'll reduce cooking time by half. Only cook the rice until it's two-thirds done, and set aside. In the meantime, I continue to prep the rest of the ingredients. You'll be pleased to hear that the entire recipe is done in 30 minutes.
Top Tips for Making Zarda Sweet Rice
- Make sure to soak the rice and almonds in advance to reduce the cooking time
- Avoid overcooking the rice; otherwise it will be mushy
- It's important to wait and reduce the water before adding the rice. That way, your rice will be perfectly fluffy
- Stir gently and avoid stirring too often once you add the rice
- You can omit the food colouring, but it does give the rice an authentic look. The saffron will provide it with a hint of colour
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge or freezer
More Delicious Desserts You Might Like:
Tell me, have you ever cooked sweet rice before? What's your favourite food to celebrate? Have you tried my zarda recipe? Comment below!
If you try this recipe, would love to hear from you! Leave a comment, rate it, or share a photo and hashtag with #desiliciousrd on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Can't wait to see your photos.
Zarda (Sweet Rice With Nuts and Coconut)
Ingredients
- 1 cup Basmati rice rinsed thoroughly and soaked for 20 minutes
- 2 ½ cups water
- ½ cup almonds unsalted, soaked for 20 minutes
- 2 tbsp milk warm
- ¼ tsp saffron
- 1 tsp yellow food colouring mix with 2 tbsp water. You can also use orange food colouring as well.
- 1 tbsp butter vegan
- ½ cup sugar pure cane (you can use regular sugar as well)
- ½ cup cashews unsalted
- ½ cup raisens you can use sultanas, dried cranberries or dried apricots
- ½ cup desiccated coconut unsweetened
- 8 green cardamom pods crushed finely
Instructions
- Wash and drain the rice till the water no longer runs cloudy. Soak the rice and almonds separately for 20 minutes
- In a medium pot, heat 2 cups of water. Once boiled, add the rice and cook for 5-7 minutes or until two thirds cooked through
- Warm the milk and add the saffron. Set aside, allowing the saffron to infuse its flavour and colour into the milk
- In the meantime, heat a large pan on high heat. Add the butter and stir until melted
- Add the sugar, nuts, raisens, coconut, cardamom, ½ cup water and food colouring and stir well
- Cook on high heat, stirring continuously for 2-3 minutes, until the sugar has completely melted and the water has nearly reduced
- Add the cooked rice and stir gently (not to break the rice), but ensure that all the rice is combined well with the ingredients and colour
- Pour the saffron milk mixture over the rice
- Switch off and remove from the heat. Cover with a tight lid, and let it sit for 5-7 minutes. This allows all the flavours to infuse, without overcooking and breaking the rice with too much stirring
Notes
- Make sure to soak the rice and almonds in advance to reduce the cooking time
- Avoid overcooking the rice, otherwise it will be mushy
- It's important to wait and reduce the water before adding the rice. That way, your rice will be perfectly fluffy
- Stir gently and avoid stirring too often once you add the rice
- You can omit the food colouring but it does give the rice an authentic look. The saffron will give it a hint of colour
- Leftovers can be stored in the fridge or freezer
Keep in mind that the nutritional values provided are approximations and suggestions. This nutrition facts table cannot account for your individual needs. Your body — including your hunger and satiety cues — change daily. It's perfectly fine to eat more or less on different days. Instead of letting food guilt take over, consider mindful eating.
Shahzadi is an award-winning registered dietitian (RD) regulated by the College of Dietitians of Ontario and a certified diabetes educator (CDE), approved by the Canadian Diabetes Educator Certification Board. A notorious foodie, she's dedicated to helping you end your cooking wars, transform your health, and be the best version of yourself! Shahzadi is an on-air nutrition expert for CTV Your Morning and a regular contributor to other national media outlets.
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