Shole Zard
Shole Zard is a traditional Persian rice pudding, infused with saffron, cardamom, and rosewater, offering a creamy texture and delightful sweetness.
Ingredients
- ½ cup of short-grain rice
- Water needed to cook the rice See notes
- ½ cup of Sugar
- 2 tbsp crushed or sliced almonds
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ tsp cardamom powder
- ½ tsp of Saffron dissolved in 2 tablespoons of hot water
- 2 tbsp Rose water
- 2 tbsp Butter
- slivered almonds or chopped pistachios for garnish optional
- Ground cinnamon for garnish optional
Instructions
- Wash the rice thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear. Cook it according to the package instructions.
- Dissolve the ground saffron in 2-3 tablespoons of hot water and let it steep.
- Once the rice is soft and has absorbed most of the water, add salt, butter, sliced almonds and sugar and continue stirring over medium heat until the mixture thickens a bit.
- Add the dissolved saffron and ground cardamom. Mix well.
- Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally.
- When the mixture reaches a pudding-like consistency, add rose water and stir to combine.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let the Shole Zard cool for a few minutes.
- Spoon the pudding into serving dishes or small ramekins.
- Optionally, garnish with slivered almonds or chopped pistachios, and sprinkle a bit of ground cinnamon on top for added flavour and presentation.
- Allow the Shole Zard to cool to room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator to chill for a few hours or overnight.
- Serve the Shole Zard cold, either directly from the refrigerator or at room temperature.
- Enjoy this delicious and culturally significant Persian dessert!
Notes
- I used “gröt ris” which is available locally and cooked the rice in 1 litre of water. Feel free to adapt the recipe using the rice you have locally. When selecting rice for pudding in India or elsewhere, you can look for local varieties that are labelled as short or medium-grain. The key is to choose a rice variety that has the characteristics of a creamy and sticky texture which can absorb liquid and create a smooth, pudding-like consistency.
- To determine the amount of water needed to cook rice, you should refer to the instructions on the package of the specific type of rice you are using. Different varieties of rice may require different amounts of water and cooking times. Typically, the package will provide instructions on the ratio of water to rice, as well as the cooking time. Follow these instructions for the best results.
- If you have a sweet tooth or prefer desserts on the sweeter side, feel free to increase the sugar quantity gradually. Add sugar in small quantities, and do a taste test as you go, to ensure that you achieve the perfect level of sweetness for your palate.
- If you are using whole green cardamom, crush them to release the seeds and pour about 2 tbsp of hot water over the crushed cardamom seeds. Allow the cardamom to steep in the hot water for 15-20 minutes. After steeping, strain the cardamom-infused water into the rice and sugar mixture when you add the saffron infusion. Discard the crushed cardamom seeds.