Jardo is a traditional boiled sweet rice dish, native to the Indian subcontinent, made with saffron, milk and sugar, and flavoured with cardamoms, raisins, pistachios or almonds. The name Zarda comes from Persian word ‘zard’ زرد meaning ‘yellow’, hence named since the food coloring added to the rice gives it a yellow color. Zarda is typically served after a meal. In the Indian subcontinent, zarda was and still remains a popular dessert on special occasions such as weddings. It is very similar to Sholezard, an Iranian dessert.
Often in Pakistan, instead of yellow food coloring, multiple food colorings are added so the rice grains are of multiple colors. Additionally, khoya, candied fruits (murabba) and nuts are an essential part of zarda made at auspicious occasions. There also is a popular use of raisins, and other dried fruits to dish.
Jardo (sweet rice)
Ingredients
- 1,1/4 cups rice,washed and soaked for1/2 hours
- 3/4 cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 25 grams sultanas
- 50 grams silvered almonds
- 1/2 teaspoon yellow coloring
- 1/4 teaspoon cardamom seeds
- pinch of saffron
- 2 sticks cinnamon
- 2 pods of cardamom
Instructions
- Boil some water, add 1/2 the colouring and drained rice; once the rice is cooked, drain in a colander and run it with cold water to avoid it slicking then return it the saucepan
- In another saucepan put ,h cup of water, sugar, cardamom seeds, saffron am the remaining colour
- Boater approximately 5 minutes until the sugar melts
- Add this syrup to the rice and mix with a wooden spoon. Cook further on low heat until syrup is almost absorbed
- Melt the butter; add the cinnamon, cardamom pods and sultanas
- Add all of this to the rice and leave it on low heat or in a hot oven (switched off) for 30 minutes
- Decorate with silvered almonds before serving
