Sholeh Zard Recipe

Sholeh Zard, also known as Persian saffron rice pudding, is a traditional dessert that originated in Iran. It is a rich and aromatic dessert made with saffron, rosewater, rice, sugar, and cardamom and garnished with cinnamon powder, slivered pistachios, and almonds.

What Is Sholeh Zard?

Shole Zard or Iranian saffron rice pudding is a delightful and deliciously sweet dessert with warming cinnamon, cardamom, and saffron flavor. Sholehzard gets its elegant golden-yellow color from saffron threads. Each spoonful is a burst of floral sweetness that will leave you craving for more. Sholezard is made by simmering rice in water until it falls apart and creates a smooth and pudding-like consistency. You may serve it chilled or warm topped with slivered pistachios and almonds for extra crunch or a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Why You Will Love Sholezard Recipe

• Delicious: Saffron adds a unique, floral, and earthy taste that adds a lovely touch and enhances the richness of the dessert.
• Easy to make: Sholeh Zard is super easy to make. The basic process involves cooking rice with milk, sugar, and saffron until it thickens.
• Perfectly customizable: Although the rice pudding with saffron is delicious on its own, you’ll be able to pair it with various toppings and additives such as nuts like almonds or pistachios, dried rose petals, or a sprinkle of ground cinnamon or coconut flakes.

Sholeh Zard Main Ingredients

• Rice: It is better to use half-grain rice in the Sholeh Zard recipe. But if half-grain rice is not available, you can soak long-grain Persian rice the night before to soften it a little during cooking.
• Sugar: The ratio of sugar to rice is 2:1. This amount of sugar will result in a balanced sweet dessert. If you are a fan of sweeter desserts, you can also consider this ratio to be 3:1.
• Saffron: Saffron is harvested by hand from the Crocus sativus flower, commonly known as the “saffron crocus.” The term “saffron” applies to the flower’s thread-like structures or stigma. The best Iranian saffron is grown in Ghaenat, Khorasan. Saffron is usually composed of dark and light threads and is used ground or brewed. In this recipe, you should add brewed saffron to Sholeh Zard.
• Rosewater: Rosewater adds a subtle floral note to the dessert.
• Water: The ratio of water to rice is an important factor in achieving the right consistency and texture of the dessert.
• Butter: Butter adds richness and prevents the pudding to get watery after refrigeration.
• Slivered pistachios and almonds: Top Sholeh Zard with nuts such as pistachios and almonds to add extra crunch and flavor to the dessert.

How To Make Shole Zard? (Step By Step)

Wash the rice with cold water a couple of times and let it soak with 3 cups of water overnight. Pour 6 cups of water into the pot and put it on the heat and bring it to boil. Drain rice then add it to boiling water and stir. Remove the foam with a spatula and stir the rice regularly so that it does not settle.

Do not add sugar until the rice falls apart. Turn down the heat to cook the rice. Depending on the type of rice, this step may take half an hour to 1 hour. When rice grains break apart and the mixture becomes mushy, add sugar and stir.

Brew ground saffron with 3-4 tablespoons of boiling water and let it soak for a few minutes then add it to rice. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the slivered almonds to the Shole Zard. Stir well and let it cook until thickened. Finally, add the butter and stir to melt.

Turn down the heat and add rose water. Put the lid on and cook for another 10 – 15 minutes. After 15 minutes,  remove from heat, ladle the pudding into bowls. Let it cool to room temperature and top with ground cinnamon, almond, and pistachios.

Pro Tips To Make Sholeh Zard

• Remember to add sugar after the rice has fallen apart.
• If you don’t have short half-grain rice on hand, you can use regular Persian rice but keep in mind that the cooking time may be longer.
• Be sure to use brewed saffron and never add saffron threads directly into the Shole Zard.
• You can soak the slivered almonds in rosewater before adding them to the Sholezard. In this way, you will enhance the aroma and taste of the Shole Zard.
• Do not forget to stir the saffron rice pudding after adding sugar.
• If Shole Zard was thickened too much, you can add a little boiling water and let it simmer for a few more minutes.
• You can serve Sholeh Zard hot or cold. You can enjoy the Shole Zard right after cooking it, but if you want a cold dessert then refrigerate for a minimum of 1 hour before serving.
• You can add a little cardamom extract to the Shole Zard to give it a good aroma and spicy taste. The use of ground cardamom is not recommended because it will change the color of the dessert.
• It is better to use half-grain rice in the Sholeh Zard recipe. But if half-grain rice is not available, you can soak ordinary Persian rice the night before to soften it a little during cooking.
• In the preparation of  Sholeh Zard, the amount of sugar is usually chosen more than rice, but this depends on your taste. Here, for 1 cup of rice, 2 cups of sugar are used, which gives a moderate sweetness to your Shole Zard. You can use 1 cup for less sweetness and more than 2 cups of sugar for more sweetness.
• Cinnamon, slivered pistachios or almonds, and even dried rose petals can be used to top the Persian saffron rice pudding.

FAQs

How to Garnish Sholeh Zard?

You can use various ingredients such as cinnamon, coconut powder, slivered pistachios, almonds, dried rose petals and slices of lemon and orange, and anything that you think is suitable and beautiful to decorate.

How Long Do Leftovers Last?

Leftovers will keep well in the fridge for 3-4 days.

Did you like the Shole Zard recipe?  Try my Persian halva recipe as well! Leave your comment below and If you make this recipe, be sure to tag your photos #yummynotes 

Shole Zard Recipe

Serves: 4 Prep Time: 1 Hour Cooking Time: 90 Minutes 90 Minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Rating: 5.0/5

( 7 voted )

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Ingredients

• 1 cup rice
• 6 cups water
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup slivered almonds
• 50 g Butter
• 1/4 teaspoon ground saffron
• 1/2 cup rosewater
• cinnamon and slivered pistachios for topping

Instructions

Step 1

Wash the rice with cold water a couple of times and let it soak with 3 cups of water overnight. Pour 6 cups of water into the pot and put it on the heat and bring it to boil. Drain rice then add it to boiling water and stir. Remove the foam with a spatula and stir the rice regularly so that it does not settle.

Step 2

Do not add sugar until the rice falls apart. Turn down the heat to cook the rice. Depending on the type of rice, this step may take half an hour to 1 hour. When rice grains break apart and the mixture becomes mushy, add sugar and stir.

Step 3

Brew ground saffron with two or 3-4 tablespoons of boiling water and let it soak for a few minutes then add it to rice. Once the sugar is dissolved, add the slivered almonds to the Shole Zard. Stir well and let it cook until thickened. Finally, add the butter and stir to melt.

Step 4

Turn down the heat and add rose water. Put the lid on and cook for another 10 - 15 minutes. After 15 minutes,  remove from heat, ladle the pudding into bowls. Let it cool to room temperature and top with ground cinnamon, almond, and pistachios.