Basmati rice cooked with saffron, sugar and ghee into a fragrant sweet rice — the Haryanvi celebration preparation made for festivals, births and weddings.
Ingredients
1.5 cups basmati rice — washed and soaked 15 minutes
3/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp ghee
4 green cardamom pods — crushed
2 cloves
1 cinnamon stick — 3 cm
3 cups water
A generous pinch of saffron soaked in 3 tbsp warm water
2 tbsp cashews — fried in 1 tsp ghee
2 tbsp raisins
1/4 tsp kewra water (pandanus extract — optional, for fragrance)
Method
Add drained soaked basmati rice. Toss in ghee 2 minutes to coat each grain.
Heat 4 tbsp ghee in a heavy pot. Add crushed cardamom, cloves and cinnamon. Fry 20 seconds until fragrant.
Add 3 cups water and sugar. Stir to dissolve sugar. Bring to a boil. Stir once.
Reduce to the absolute lowest heat. Cover tightly.
Cook 18 minutes without lifting the lid.
Turn off heat. Pour saffron water over the rice without stirring. Cover again. Rest 5 minutes.
Fluff gently. Fold in kewra water if using, fried cashews and raisins.
The rice should be deep golden-yellow from saffron, each grain separate and fragrant.