The Ramadan sweet

Sholeh Zard

Sholeh zard takes about 20 saffron threads for six servings and sets in a few hours in the fridge. A imported saffron rice pudding, glossy and deep gold, finished with a cinnamon pattern, almonds and pistachio — the dessert made for Nowruz and given away to neighbours.

Serves
8
Prep
15 min
Cook
1 hr
Saffron
15 threads
Shop the saffron
A bowl of Middle Eastern sholeh zard saffron rice pudding decorated with a radiating cinnamon pattern, almonds and pistachios

Method

  1. Bloom the saffron

    Steep 15 threads in 3 tbsp of warm water for ten minutes. Do this first so it is ready when the rice is.

  2. Cook the rice down

    Bring the rice and water to a boil, then simmer uncovered on low for about 40 minutes, stirring often, until the grains have collapsed into a loose porridge.

  3. Sweeten

    Add the sugar and stir until fully dissolved. The mixture will loosen again — keep it moving so it does not catch on the base.

  4. Add the gold

    Stir in the butter, then the bloomed saffron with its threads. The colour should turn even and deep within a minute.

  5. Perfume it

    Simmer another 10 minutes until thick enough to coat a spoon, then take it off the heat and stir in the rosewater and cardamom. Adding these off the heat keeps their aroma.

  6. Set and decorate

    Pour into a wide dish or individual bowls. Cool to room temperature, then chill. Decorate with cinnamon, pistachio and almond just before serving.

Notes from our kitchen

  • It thickens noticeably as it cools — pull it off the heat looser than you think you want it.
  • Traditionally the cinnamon is dusted in a pattern through a stencil. A folded strip of paper works.
  • Keeps three days covered in the fridge, and the flavour is better on day two.

Keep cooking

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All recipes

Made with

The saffron this recipe is written for.

Single-origin Herati Super Negin, single-origin and harvest-dated.

The hero
The 1 gram crystal bottle of Authentic Afghan Saffron Super Negin threads

For giving

The Crystal Bottle — 1 g

One gram of Super Negin in a crystal keepsake bottle. About 60 cups of tea.

$12.99About 60 cups of tea
Give the bottle
Most gifted
The Authentic Afghan Saffron gift box beside the branded porcelain teacup of golden saffron tea

For the ritual

The Gift Box

Two crystal bottles in a gold-foiled gift box.

$27.991 g + teacup & saucer
Shop the set
All-red Super Negin saffron threads heaped in a cut-crystal footed bowl

For the kitchen

The Connoisseur Jar — 5 g

For the kitchen that cooks with saffron, not around it.

$44.99$12.00/g
Shop 5 g

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