Back when we lived in India, our neighbor used to make this fairly frequently and she’d drop some off at our house every time because we loved it so much.
The recipe that I used is adapted from Cook with Manali.
Ingredients:
Per 3-4 servings:
- 1/4 cup basmati rice
- 1 tablespoon ghee or vegan butter
- 3 cardamom pods, crushed
- 3 cups milk (I used oat milk due to lactose intolerance)
- 3 tablespoons sugar (adjust according to taste)
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron
- 3 tablespoons chopped nuts of choice (I used pecans, but almonds and cashews are really popular too)
Instructions:
-
Soak the rice in water for ~30 minutes. Drain and set aside.
-
In a small pot, heat the ghee/butter. Add the crushed cardamom pods and cook for a minute or two.
- Add the rice and cook for another minute or two.
- Add the milk and increase heat to medium-high. Mix consistently until it comes to a boil (takes ~10 mins), and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 30-40 minutes on low heat, stirring every minute or two. It will thicken very slowly and the rice will be fully cooked by the end.
- Fish out the cardamom pods and discard. Add the sugar, saffron, and nuts. Mix to combine and cook for another 5-7 minutes, stirring consistently.
- Remove from heat. You can serve this warm or cold (I like it both ways). Enjoy!