Shir berenj

What to get ready

• Basmati rice 11.3 oz
• Fresh milk 10 ⅛ cups
• Sugar 11.3 oz
• Saffron threads 0.8 g
• Rose water ⅓ cup
• Pistachios 4.2 oz
• Cardamom 0.6 oz
• Salt 0.1 oz

Method

1. 1 Soak the rice for 2 hours, then cook it in water for 20 minutes until the grains are fully expanded.
2. 2 Cook the rice with water first, then add the milk; cooking it directly in the milk will prevent the rice grains from expanding.
3. 3 Pour in the milk and cook for another 25 minutes over low heat, stirring every 5 minutes to prevent burning.
4. 4 Add sugar only when the rice grains are fully softened; adding it too early will make the rice grains tough and prevent them from expanding further.
5. 5 Mix saffron with rose water, then combine it with cardamom.
6. 6 Pour into a bowl and let cool, then sprinkle with crushed pistachios. It can be eaten warm or cold.

With an appliance

• Oven 55 min

  Replace step 3: after the rice has softened in the water, pour in the milk and place the pot partially covered on the middle rack of the oven at 150 degrees for 20 minutes, stirring once at the 10th minute; reduce the stirring time to about 5 minutes, ensuring the milk doesn't stick to the bottom, and decrease the stirring from five times to one, while the grains remain evenly cooked. Add the sugar only after the rice is soft, as in step 4.