Family Spice Recipes, Meal Planning & Fitness Advice
Saffron Rice Pudding (Sholeh-Zard)
This traditional Persian dessert is both fragrant and delicious. Flavored with saffron and rose water, decorated with cinnamom, almonds and pistachios, you will experience an exotic dessert from another place and time.
Recipe by Family Spice
INGREDIENTS:
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- 8 cups of water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 cups sugar
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 tsp crushed saffron, dissolved in 2 TBS hot water
- 2 TBS almond slivers
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 cup rosewater
FOR GARNISH:
- cinnamon
- almond slivers
- pistachio slivers
- In a medium-sized bowl cover with water:
- 1 1/2 cups basmati rice
- Gently wash the rice by stirring the rice in the water with your hand. This helps wash some of the starch and grit out. Pour out the water and repeat two more times.
- Combine in a 5-quart non-stick pot:
- washed rice
- 8 cups water
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Bring it to a boil, skimming the white foam from the surface as it forms.
- Cover and simmer over medium heat for 30 minutes or until rice is completely soft.
- Stir in:
- 3 cups sugar
- Cook for 20 more minutes, stirring constantly.
- Mix in:
- 1/4 cup butter, melted
- 1/4 tsp crushed saffron, dissolved in 2 TBS hot water
- 2 TBS almond slivers
- 1 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/4 cup rosewater
- Cover and simmer on low heat for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally until mixture has thickened to a pudding.
- Pour saffron pudding into a shallow serving dish or spoon into individual serving bowls.
- Decorate with:
- cinnamon
- almond slivers
- pistachio slivers
- Chill in refrigerator until set, about 1-2 hours.
- Serve cold.
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 1 hour 45 min
Difficulty: Intermediate
Servings: 16
Serving Size: 1 cup of rice pudding
Serving Suggestions: As high-quality saffron is expensive, you can help the pudding's color by using a little yellow food coloring. For more Perisan sweets try Persian Saffron Cookies, Persian Baklava and our Baklava Cake.
Think of decorating the top of your sholeh-zard as a blank canvas waiting for you to paint. Whether you use a stencil or free hand your design, you will create a one-of-a-kind edible piece of art.
