Kesari Bhaat – Meetha Chawal – Sweet Saffron Rice

Today is a great day for India. A billion people are celebrating the Indian victory in the 2011 Cricket World Cup Finals.

CONGRATULATIONS!

तो चलो, इस मीठे अवसर पर बनाते हैं मीठे चावल!

Ingredients

• 1 cup basmati rice cooked in 2 + 1/2  cups water
• 1 + 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 cup fresh, grated coconut
• 1/3 cup ghee
• 1 big, very generous pinch of kesar/saffron soaked in 1/8 cup warm water
• 1/2 tea spoon powdered cardamom
• 6 cloves, 1/4 cup each cashews and raisins  fried in 1 table spoon ghee

Method

• Soak rice in water for about 15 minutes and then cook with 2 1/4 cup water. I cook it covered, on low heat. It takes about 20 minutes. As soon as all the water is absorbed. shut the stove off.
• Keep the rice aside, covered,  for about 10 minutes. Then gently stir it to get the air out.
• In a big pan, bring 3/4 cup water to boil.
• Add sugar and coconut to the boiling water and cook on low heat for about 12 minutes until nice aroma emanates from the mixture.
• Add Cooked rice to this mixture and add 1/3 cup ghee.
• Mix well, and add saffron water and cardamom.
• On low heat, cook the mixture for about 15 minutes stirring every 10-15 seconds.
• By this time rice will have soaked all the sweet liquid.
• Add raisins, cashews and cloves.

Variation: Zest of a lemon or half an orange adds a wonderful aroma to this sweet dish. Add it at the very end, just before adding raisins and cashews.

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