Sweet Rice | Instant Pot Pakistani Zarda

Sweet Rice is one of my favorite international desserts. Pakistani Zarda is as beautiful as it is delicious. It is made in one step with the help of your Instant Pot and absolutely crave-worthy.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

• Fast. Ready in under 30 minutes with the help of your Instant Pot.
• Easy. Follow a few simple steps to get a decadent sweet rice that turns out perfectly every time.
• Vegetarian. The perfect meat-free treat for the vegetarians in your life.
• Delicious. Absolutely packed with flavor from the saffron milk, pistachios, and raisins.

Pakistani Zarda Sweet Rice is a delicious Pakistani dessert that is full of rich flavor and texture. It's famous for the pretty yellow color it gets from the saffron that's in the recipe. It also has nuts and raisins making it have an interesting texture, besides just the softness of the rice.

Do You Have To Grind Your Own Spices?

I suppose you don't have to grind your own spices, but I highly recommend it. When you grind your own spices, it keeps the herbs and spices fresh, and you garner much more flavor for your recipe.

In this Pakistani Zarda Sweet Rice specifically, grinding the saffron helps to release the color and flavor more so it can absorb into the rice while it cooks. You can just throw in sprigs of saffron, but the results won't be as delicious.

What Kind of Rice is Sweet Rice?

For this sweet rice recipe, I chose to use basmati rice. I use it in a majority of my recipes, so that's what I had in my pantry. You can also use glutenous rice, or jasmine rice for this dish.

Is Sweet Rice Healthy?

Calling sweet rice healthy may be a bit of a stretch since it contains sugar, ghee, and whole milk. However, it does have several healthy elements, such as nuts, raisins, and spices.

Always know your dietary restrictions before indulging in a new recipe to know if it is a good fit for your personal health.

Ingredients Needed

Saffron Mixture:

• Saffron Strands
• Sugar Or Other Sweetener Equivalent
• Whole Milk

For the Rice:

• Ghee, divided
• Sliced Pistachios
• Sliced Almonds
• Raisins
• Basmati Rice
• Sugar Or Other Sweetener Equivalent
• Ground Cardamom
• Cinnamon
• Ground Cloves

How To Make Sweet Rice

1. Make the Saffron Mixture: In a mortar and pestle, grind together the 1 teaspoon of sugar and saffron strands. You’re doing this so that the saffron mixes well with the rice later. 
2. Mix the saffron with 1/4 cup warm milk (15 seconds in the microwave) and set aside
3. You can also just soak the saffron threads with 1/4 cup warm milk (15 seconds in the microwave) and set aside, but grinding the saffron first releases more aroma and color into the rice.  
4. Turn your instant pot on sauté High and when it is hot, add 1 tablespoon of ghee. When the ghee is hot add the nuts and raisins and cook until they are lightly browned and the raisins are puffy about 2-3 minutes.
5. Remove nuts and raisins leaving behind as much of the ghee as possible. 
6. Add another tablespoon of ghee and all remaining ingredients including rice, water, sugar, saffron milk (saffron and milk together), ground cardamom, ground cinnamon, and ground cloves
7. Cook at high pressure for 6 mins HP and allow it to release all pressure naturally.
8. Add reserved nuts and raisins, mix with a gentle hand so as to not break the rice, and serve.

How Long Does It Last?

Since this Sweet Rice recipe doesn't contain meat protein, it will stay just as tasty as the day you prepared it for quite some time. If stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, you can expect it to maintain the same texture and flavor for up to a week.

More Delicious Rice Recipes

• Instant Pot Mexican Rice
• Dirty Rice
• Jamaican Rice and Peas
• Instant Pot Black Beans and Rice
• Instant Pot Sticky Rice with Sausage

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