SHOLEH ZARD (PERSIAN RICE PUDDING)
This cozy dessert from Sara Mardanbigi and Edgar Rico, the owners of Nixta Taqueria in Austin, Texas, is a take on sholeh zard, a loose, heavily spiced Persian rice pudding Ms. Mardanbigi grew up eating. It also borrows influence from the Mexican arroz con leche of Mr. Rico's childhood. Their take is warm and smoky with black cardamom and saffron, velvety from egg yolks and butter, and has a savory finish. It calls for arborio rice instead of the usual basmati to add a slight chew, and strawberry powder instead of rosewater to provide similar floral notes with a punch of acid.
Provided by Priya Krishna
Categories custards and puddings, dessert
Time 1h30m
Yield 4 to 6 servings
Number Of Ingredients 16
Steps:
- Bring 4 cups of water to a hard boil in a Dutch oven or other large pot over high heat. Add the rice and let it boil, stirring regularly, until the grains begin to soften around the edges but are still crunchy in the center, 1 to 2 minutes. Strain the rice, but do not rinse it. Rinse the pot with cold water to cool it down, then return it to the stove.
- To the rinsed pot, add the milk, cream, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon stick, cardamom, turmeric, saffron water and kosher salt. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally. You may be tempted to turn the heat up to make it boil faster - resist this urge. The goal is to let the spices slowly infuse the milk and cream, like a tea, for deep flavor.
- Slowly stir in the rice, making sure the grains are all well coated. Cover, turn the heat down to low, and simmer, stirring a few times to make sure the grains don't stick to the bottom, until the mixture has the consistency of a loose pudding, 35 to 45 minutes. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, with the rice maintaining a slight chew.
- Add the cubes of butter a few at a time, stirring to incorporate fully between each addition. Remove from the heat and let cool until warm, stirring regularly, about 5 minutes. Stir in the egg yolks, one at a time. The consistency should be velvety.
- Divide the sholeh zard among bowls, and divide the ground cinnamon, strawberry powder and pistachios - in that order - over the top of each one. The strawberry powder should be the thickest layer, covering the entire surface. Crown the bowls with a light sprinkling of flaky salt and serve.
Are you curently on diet or you just want to control your food's nutritions, ingredients? We will help you find recipes by cooking method, nutrition, ingredients...
Check it out »
You'll also love
Salman Sordar
[email protected]This is the best rice pudding recipe I've ever tried. It's so easy to make and it always turns out perfect.
Kevin Worrell (Llerrok)
[email protected]I love the addition of saffron to this recipe. It gives the pudding a beautiful golden color and a subtle floral flavor.
Cr Ave
[email protected]This is a great recipe for a special occasion or a simple weeknight meal.
done william
[email protected]I made this for a party and it was a huge hit! Everyone loved it and asked for the recipe.
TheNugget Catt
[email protected]This is the best rice pudding recipe I've ever tried. It's so creamy and flavorful, and the saffron gives it a beautiful golden color.
IBRAHIM MUHAJER
[email protected]I've never made rice pudding before, but this recipe made it so easy. It turned out great and I will definitely be making it again.
Karan Barma
[email protected]This recipe is a great way to use up leftover rice. It's easy to make and it's so delicious.
ZishanAlvy Bayezid
[email protected]I made this for my family and they loved it! It's a great dessert for a special occasion or a simple weeknight meal.
Remmy Oluoch
[email protected]I love the addition of saffron to this recipe. It gives the pudding a beautiful golden color and a subtle floral flavor.
ice frimpong
[email protected]I've made this recipe several times and it's always a hit. It's a great way to use up leftover rice, and it's so delicious and comforting.
Byjed Byjed
[email protected]This was my first time making rice pudding and it was so easy! The instructions were clear and concise, and the pudding turned out great. I will definitely be making this again.
Akub Khan1
[email protected]I'm not a huge fan of rice pudding, but this recipe changed my mind. It's so creamy and flavorful, and the saffron gives it a beautiful golden color.
David Rawls
[email protected]I made this for a party and it was a huge hit! Everyone loved it and asked for the recipe. It's a great dessert for any occasion.
NCA Ho
[email protected]This recipe was absolutely delicious! I followed the instructions exactly and it turned out perfect. The rice was cooked to perfection and the pudding was creamy and flavorful. I will definitely be making this again.