Meethe Chawal Recipe: This traditional Punjabi dessert, known as Meethe Chawal, is a delightful treat enjoyed during festivals like Basant Panchami, Diwali, and auspicious occasions like weddings. The key ingredients are Basmati rice and sugar syrup, but it’s the carefully selected blend of Indian spices such as green cardamom, cloves, cinnamon, and kesar (saffron) that imparts its flavorful and aromatic profile. The addition of dry fruits not only enhances the taste but also adds to its visually appealing presentation. With a well-balanced combination of ingredients, step-by-step photos, helpful tips, and serving ideas, preparing this traditional Punjabi sweet yellow rice becomes easy – even for those learning to cook.
Ingredients:
Meethe Chawal Recipe
- 1/2 cup Basmati Rice (long-grained rice)
- 2 tablespoons Ghee
- 1/2-inch piece of Cinnamon
- 2 Cloves (lavang)
- 2 Green Cardamoms
- 1/3 cup Sugar
- 1/4 cup Water
- 10-15 Saffron Strands (kesar) dissolved in 1 tablespoon Milk
- 1/4 teaspoon Green Cardamom Powder
- 3 Almonds, sliced
- 3-4 Cashew Nuts, chopped
- 5-6 Raisins (kismis)
- 2 Pistachios, chopped
- 2 cups Water
Directions:
Meethe Chawal Recipe
- Step 1: Rinse Basmati rice in water 3-4 times and soak it for 20 minutes. Boil the rice with 2 cups of water until almost cooked (90% cooked) but not mushy, approximately 8-10 minutes.
- Step 2: Transfer the rice to a colander and drain water completely. Set aside.
- Step 3: In a heavy-based pan with a lid, add ghee and heat it over low flame. Add cinnamon, cloves, and green cardamom, sauté for 30-40 seconds.
- Step 4: Add sugar and 1/4 cup water. Stir and cook for a minute.
- Step 5: Add the dissolved saffron mixture and cardamom powder.
- Step 6: Stir and cook until sugar dissolves for approximately 1-2 minutes.
- Step 7: After the sugar dissolves, bring the mixture to a boil over medium flame. It will take around a minute. When it starts boiling, add the cooked rice.
- Step 8: Mix gently until each rice grain is coated with the sugar-saffron mixture, ensuring no lumps of white rice.
- Step 9: Reduce the flame to low, cover it with a lid (or a plate), and cook until almost all moisture is evaporated, for approximately 5-6 minutes.
- Step 10: Turn off the flame and let it stand for 7-8 minutes. Remove the lid and add almonds, cashew nuts, raisins, and pistachios. Mix well and transfer the sweetened yellow rice to a serving bowl.
Tips and Variations:
Meethe Chawal Recipe
- Adjust sugar according to your taste.
- Short-grain rice can be used if long-grain rice is unavailable. However, short-grain rice may form lumps, making it challenging to coat each rice grain with sugar. Follow the tip given below to keep the rice grains separate.
- To cook each rice grain separately, rinse the rice 5-6 times in water before cooking, add 1 teaspoon oil while cooking the rice, and always cook rice in a pot or pan (do not use a pressure cooker).
- If you want to reduce the quantity of saffron, add a pinch of yellow food color to achieve an identical hue.
Taste: Sweetened rice with an aromatic fragrance.
Serving Ideas: Serve it as a dessert after a meal or as a standalone sweet dish.
Conclusion:
In a nutshell, Meethe Chawal Recipe is an aromatic Indian rice pudding that’s simple to customize. Follow a few key tips for tender rice and addictive flavor in every bite of this beautiful golden dessert.
Frequently Asked Questions
about Meethe Chawal Recipe (Sweet Rice)
What’s the total prep time for Meethe Chawal Recipe?
From start to finish, it takes about 30 minutes to make this tasty rice dessert. Be sure to account for the basmati rice soaking time in your timeline.
Which rice variety works best?
Traditional Indian basmati rice is ideal, but any long grain white rice like jasmine or even short grain rice can be substituted. The key is proper washing and cooking to get fluffy, non-sticky rice.
Should I soak the rice first or can I skip it?
Soaking the basmati rice for 20 minutes before cooking helps ensure light, fluffy rice grains, so it’s recommended. But if you’re pressed for time, you can omit this step.
What’s the secret for avoiding mushy rice?
Parcook the rice until just shy of being fully done. Then gently fold it into the sweet, fragrant saffron mixture. This helps the rice grains maintain their shape and texture.
Can I control the sweetness?
Absolutely! Feel free to tweak the sugar to suit your preferences. Use less sugar for subtler sweetness or more for an intense sugar rush.
