Himachal Mittha Dham Sweet Festive Rice

Method

1. 1

   Fry cashews in ghee: Heat 1 tsp ghee in a small pan. Add cashews — fry stirring until golden. Remove and keep for garnish.

2. 2

   Heat ghee and add whole spices: Heat 3 tbsp ghee in a heavy pot. Add crushed cardamom, cloves, cinnamon and bay leaves. Let sizzle 20 seconds.

3. 3

   Add drained rice: Drain soaked rice. Add to the pot. Stir gently for 2 minutes so the grains absorb the spiced ghee.

4. 4

   Add water and bring to a boil: Add 3.5 cups water. Bring to a full boil on high heat.

5. 5

   Reduce and cook covered: Once boiling, reduce to the lowest heat. Cover tightly. Cook 18 minutes. Do not open the lid.

6. 6

   Add sugar and saffron: After 18 minutes, open the lid carefully — most water will have been absorbed. Add sugar evenly over the rice. Pour saffron milk over. Cover again. Cook on lowest heat 5 more minutes.

7. 7

   Rest covered: Turn off heat. Rest covered 5 minutes.

8. 8

   Add raisins: Open lid. Scatter raisins over the surface. Fluff gently with a fork — lift from the bottom, do not stir.

9. 9

   Add fried cashews: Scatter the golden fried cashews on top.

10. 10

    Serve warm: Serve in a wide bowl. The mittha should be golden-yellow from saffron, fragrant from whole spices and each grain separate.

11. 11

    Note: Mittha (sweet) is an essential component of the Himachali Dham feast — served as the transition between the savoury main courses and the end of the meal. The Dham sequence follows a specific order: dal, vegetables, madra, rice and then mittha. No Dham is considered complete without the sweet rice. In the Kullu and Mandi valleys, the Dham preparation begins at dawn and the botis (specialist feast cooks) manage every dish in a precise sequence.