Here’s a festive dessert to try at home

As the festivities come near, so come the days of making wholesome meals at homes for families, relatives, friends, and house parties. With Navratri, Durga Puja, Lakshmi Puja, Kali Puja, and several rituals keeping one busy, here’s a simple sweet dish that can be easily made at home and provides immense joy to everyone.

Sweet Rice Zarda with Orange Peels

No meal is complete with a dessert. This festive season, try your hands at making a simple, sweet, and easy one. You can surprise your friends and family with the Sweet Rice Zarda with Orange Peels. Depending on your family's likes, you can check our Desi Delicacies on Audible and choose from a variety of recipes to try out. Who knows, they may make you the home master chef, after all?

Ingredients:

• Uncooked white rice - 2 cups
• Orange food coloring - ¼ tsp 
• Grated or julienned orange zest - 2 tsp 
• Whole cardamoms - 4 to 6 
• Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp
• White sugar - 1 ½ cups
• Double cream - 1 ½ tbsp 
• Raisins - 1 tbsp 
• Chopped walnuts - 1 tbsp 
• Slivered almonds - 1 tbsp 

Method:

• Cover the rice with water in a bowl and leave to soak for about an hour before draining off the water.
• Bring a large saucepan with five cups of water to boil. Then add the food coloring and half the cardamom pods. Stir in the rice, reduce the heat, cover, and simmer until it is tender (about 20 minutes).
• Fry the remaining cardamom pods in oil in another large pan over low heat for two minutes. Then, stir in the cooked and drained rice along with the sugar.
• Cover the pan and cook for five minutes. 
• Remove from the heat and stir in the cream, raisins, walnuts, almonds, and orange zest. Serve immediately.