SAEDNEWS: Sholeh Zard is, in fact, one of the most authentic, delicious, and popular Iranian desserts. Before becoming known as a dessert, it was likely prepared and served more like a traditional rice porridge or soup during religious celebrations and special occasions, often as a votive offering (nazri).
According to the Saed News cooking service, Sholeh Zard is one of the delicious traditional Iranian desserts. Because of saffron, it has a yellow color, which is why it is called by this name. This dessert is usually decorated with cinnamon, sliced almonds, and pistachios. It is commonly served on the Iftar table during the holy month of Ramadan in most Iranian households.
The main ingredients of this dessert include Iranian rice, sugar, saffron, rose water, cardamom, sliced almond and pistachio slivers, cinnamon, butter, and oil. Since this dessert is mostly prepared and distributed during Ramadan or on Tasua and Ashura, it is often decorated with cinnamon patterns featuring religious names.
To prepare a high-quality Sholeh Zard, following certain tips is essential. This article gathers the most important ones.
To make a proper saffron Sholeh Zard for gatherings, the proportions must be followed: sugar should be twice the amount of rice, and water should be five times the amount of rice. Always maintain this ratio.
Add sugar only after the rice is fully cooked. Once sugar is added, no matter how much saffron you use, the color will no longer change because the syrup created by sugar prevents the rice grains from coloring evenly.
Soak almonds in a little rose water; this makes them softer.
The sweetness level depends on personal taste; reduce sugar if you prefer it less sweet.
To ensure the dessert has proper consistency and does not release water:
After cooking is complete, place a heat diffuser under the pot and let it simmer gently for about 30 minutes so excess moisture evaporates.
You may add a few tablespoons of rice flour to create a better texture.
Never add water during the middle of cooking, as it will cause the dessert to become watery.
Saffron is one of the main ingredients of Sholeh Zard and must be well ground and steeped in ice or hot water to release its color and aroma.
In the past, saffron was measured using traditional units such as mithqal and sir. One mithqal of saffron equals approximately 4.608 grams. In common markets, it is often considered around 4.6 to 4.61 grams.
The main reason rice releases water is that it is not fully cooked and has not reached the proper consistency. Some people mistakenly think rice will cook fully with sugar, but this is incorrect. Sugar actually prevents proper cooking, and if the rice water has not fully evaporated from the beginning, the dessert will become watery.
Adding butter improves the aroma and taste.
Soaking rice with a little saffron and rose water can enhance its color.
Keep it slightly runnier while cooking, as it thickens after cooling.
Stir continuously to prevent burning.
Let it simmer properly so it does not crack or release water after cooling.
Fine rice: 2 kg
White sugar: 4 kg
Saffron: half mithqal (about 2–2.3 grams)
Double-distilled rose water: 1.5 liters
Sliced almonds: 750 g
Water: as needed
Almond slivers for decoration: 100 g
Pistachio slivers for decoration: 100 g
Cinnamon and ground cardamom for decoration: as needed
Disposable bowls and containers: as needed
Soak the rice in water for 24 hours in a suitable container. After soaking, gently stir the rice with your hands to break it down slightly.
In a large pot, add water and bring it to a boil. The water amount should be about 7 times the rice.
Drain the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water. Increase the heat until it starts boiling again, then reduce the heat. Cook for about 2 hours until the rice is fully soft.
Dissolve sugar in water and strain it to remove impurities.
Dissolve saffron in hot water.
Once the rice is fully cooked, slowly add the sugar mixture and sliced almonds while stirring continuously. Do not worry if it seems runny; it will thicken after further cooking.
If the mixture becomes too thick after adding sugar, add 1–2 cups of water to adjust the consistency.
When it reaches the desired thickness, add the saffron mixture.
