Shole Zard
“Shole Zard” is a traditional Iranian dessert, particularly popular during the month of Muharram, especially on the day of Ashura. It is made with ingredients such as rice, sugar, saffron, and rose water, giving it a distinct yellow colour and a sweet, aromatic flavour. In Iran, people often share this dessert with friends and family during special occasions and religious events, as it holds cultural and religious significance. The combination of these elements not only imparts a sweetness to the dish but also contributes to its distinctive golden colour and aromatic essence.
I had a positive experience with Shole Zard at an Iranian restaurant. It’s even more heartwarming that a person there in the restaurant was kind enough to share the ingredients with me. A big thank you to them. It is a relatively simple dessert to make, although it does require some attention to detail. The basic ingredients are few, and the process involves cooking rice with water and sugar, infusing it with saffron and cardamom, butter and finishing with rose water.
Which Rice to use for Shole Zard?
The rice used for Shole Zard should have a higher starch content, making it sticky when cooked. This characteristic helps in creating the smooth and velvety texture that is characteristic of a well-made rice pudding. Shole Zard is best made with a short-grain rice variety. Short-grain rice tends to be plump and starchy, contributing to a creamy and sticky consistency, which is ideal for a rice pudding. The chosen rice should have a good absorption capacity, allowing it to soak up the saffron-infused liquid and other flavourings used in Shole Zard. This ensures that the rice not only takes on a rich golden colour but also becomes infused with the aromatic essence of saffron and rose water. While the rice should be creamy, it should also maintain a slight chewiness. This balance creates a pleasant and satisfying mouthfeel in the finished dish.
Below is the image of the rice (Gröt ris) which I used.
Shole Zard
Ingredients
- ½ cup of short-grain rice
- Water needed to cook the rice See notes
- ½ cup of Sugar
- 2 tbsp crushed or sliced almonds
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ tsp cardamom powder
- ½ tsp of Saffron dissolved in 2 tablespoons of hot water
- 2 tbsp Rose water
- 2 tbsp Butter
- slivered almonds or chopped pistachios for garnish optional
- Ground cinnamon for garnish optional
Instructions
- Wash the rice thoroughly under cold water until the water runs clear. Cook it according to the package instructions.
- Dissolve the ground saffron in 2-3 tablespoons of hot water and let it steep.
- Once the rice is soft and has absorbed most of the water, add salt, butter, sliced almonds and sugar and continue stirring over medium heat until the mixture thickens a bit.
- Add the dissolved saffron and ground cardamom. Mix well.
- Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer, stirring occasionally.
- When the mixture reaches a pudding-like consistency, add rose water and stir to combine.
- Remove the pot from the heat and let the Shole Zard cool for a few minutes.
- Spoon the pudding into serving dishes or small ramekins.
- Optionally, garnish with slivered almonds or chopped pistachios, and sprinkle a bit of ground cinnamon on top for added flavour and presentation.
- Allow the Shole Zard to cool to room temperature before placing it in the refrigerator to chill for a few hours or overnight.
- Serve the Shole Zard cold, either directly from the refrigerator or at room temperature.
- Enjoy this delicious and culturally significant Persian dessert!
Notes
- I used “gröt ris” which is available locally and cooked the rice in 1 litre of water. Feel free to adapt the recipe using the rice you have locally. When selecting rice for pudding in India or elsewhere, you can look for local varieties that are labelled as short or medium-grain. The key is to choose a rice variety that has the characteristics of a creamy and sticky texture which can absorb liquid and create a smooth, pudding-like consistency.
- To determine the amount of water needed to cook rice, you should refer to the instructions on the package of the specific type of rice you are using. Different varieties of rice may require different amounts of water and cooking times. Typically, the package will provide instructions on the ratio of water to rice, as well as the cooking time. Follow these instructions for the best results.
- If you have a sweet tooth or prefer desserts on the sweeter side, feel free to increase the sugar quantity gradually. Add sugar in small quantities, and do a taste test as you go, to ensure that you achieve the perfect level of sweetness for your palate.
- If you are using whole green cardamom, crush them to release the seeds and pour about 2 tbsp of hot water over the crushed cardamom seeds. Allow the cardamom to steep in the hot water for 15-20 minutes. After steeping, strain the cardamom-infused water into the rice and sugar mixture when you add the saffron infusion. Discard the crushed cardamom seeds.
