Ingredients

• 1 cup Basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
• 3/4 cup Sugar
• 4 tbsp Ghee
• A generous pinch of Saffron, soaked in warm milk
• 1/4 cup mixed Nuts (almonds, cashews)
• 2 tbsp Raisins
• Whole spices: 2 green cardamoms, 2 cloves, 1-inch cinnamon stick
• 2 cups Water

Instructions

1. In a pot, bring the 2 cups of water to a boil. Add the soaked and drained rice. Cook until the rice is 80% done. Drain and set aside.
2. In a heavy-bottomed pan, heat the ghee. Fry the nuts until golden, then add raisins and fry until they plump up. Remove from pan and set aside.
3. In the same ghee, add the whole spices (cardamom, cloves, cinnamon). Sauté for a few seconds until fragrant.
4. Add the sugar and 1/4 cup of water. Cook until the sugar dissolves to form a syrup.
5. Add the saffron-infused milk to the syrup.
6. Gently add the par-cooked rice to the pan. Mix very gently so as not to break the grains.
7. Cover the pan and cook on a very low flame ('dum') for 10-15 minutes, until the rice has absorbed all the syrup and is fully cooked.
8. Garnish with the fried nuts and raisins before serving.