Name: Saffron- and rose-scented rice pudding
Yield: Serves 4
Cuisine: India
Ingredients: 2.5 cm/1 in piece of cinnamon stick; 6 green cardamom pods, bruised; 25 g/1 oz/2 tbsp ghee or unsalted butter; 30–45ml/2–3 tbsp granulated (white) sugar; 75 g/3 oz/⅓ cup basmati rice, washed; 45 ml/3 tbsp double (heavy) cream; 25 g/1 oz broken cashew nut pieces (optional); a few fresh rose petals, washed, to garnish; 15 ml/1 tbsp rose water; 2 bay leaves; 1.2 litres/2 pints/5 cups full-fat (whole) milk; a good pinch of saffron threads, pounded

Preparation info

Serves
4

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

The Complete Indian Regional Cookbook

By Mridula Baljekar

Published 2017

About

Even if rice pudding does not usually appeal to you, do not dismiss this one! It is quite different from the rice pudding made in the Western world. The richness of saffron, the fragrance imparted by the cardamom, nutmeg and rose water, and the crunchiness of the toasted nuts, make this pudding pure ambrosia. Serve Pal Payasam on its own, or team it with a fresh fruit, such as mango, to complement the delicate flavours.