Close
Photo:Lakshmi: RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty. Recipe: Photography: Penny De Los Santos, Prop styling: Paige Hicks, Food Styling: Nora Singley.
Lakshmi: RB/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images/Getty. Recipe: Photography: Penny De Los Santos, Prop styling: Paige Hicks, Food Styling: Nora Singley.
In a recentInstagram reel, Lakshmi says she was left with a distinct “taste memory” after trying Sholeh Zard, a Persian rice pudding she ate at theTehran Marketduring the Iranian episode ofseason one’sTaste the Nation. She mentions that the main flavors in this pudding—saffron, rose petal and cardamom—bring her back to her childhood, and we can’t wait to try it ourselves.
Since recipes like this Sholeh Zard are being tested for her upcomingTaste the Nation-inspired cookbook, Lakshmi didn’t give us an exact recipe, but we have the gist of it if you’re like us and can’t wait for the official publication.
While the rice comes to a boil, she prepares her remaining aromatics. “Fragrance and aroma is a big part of rice pudding,” Lakshmi says, so she makes full use of the floral and savory spices she’s chosen. First, she grinds down plenty of whole cardamom seeds to add directly to the pudding. Then, she uses a mortar and pestle to crush saffron and make saffron water (often used inPersian Rice Pie (Tah Chin)), which gets mixed into the pot of pudding.
14 of the World’s Healthiest Spices & Herbs You Should Be Eating
Once fully combined, the rice pudding—now a beautiful yellow-orange tint—is ready to spoon into a bowl. This is when Lakshmi sprinkles a mixture of ground rose petals and sugar over the bowled pudding, styles with more rose petals and serves.
In the meantime, if you’re not looking to develop a recipe in your kitchen like Padma, there are still plenty of delicious and healthy rice pudding recipes out there, including our highly-ratedDairy-Free Banana Rice Pudding.
More from Lakshmi:This Simple Yogurt Rice Is My Ultimate Comfort Food
Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Was this page helpful?
Thanks for your feedback!
Tell us why!OtherSubmit
Tell us why!
