Valentines Day is coming up and many of you will be celebrating it with your loved ones. Although I don’t usually reserve my display of love for any particular day of the year, I did want to share with you some recipes from my fellow bloggers this week leading to the day of love. These recipes are a way to for me to share my love for you the readers who has provided me with encouragement to share my recipes with you.

The first recipe that I am sharing is from a friend Lail , whom I met through the social networking site Facebook. You have visit regularly to the blog, you will know that she is not a stranger to this blog. Her love for her family and cooking comes through on her blog. So without further ado, below is a recipe from her that is definitely associated with love in Bangladesh as it is guaranteed to be a part of the wedding festivities!

Hello there! This is Lail from With A Spin. I am thrilled to be here on Twisted Chef T’s space today for her Valentine’s Day series. My blog is all about celebrating everyday life with food, family and creativity. I often like to take liberties with tradition when it comes to recipes. With a busy life, I find it exciting to improve and find an easier way to an old recipe, modifying a laborious step of an authentic recipe to prepare in somewhat straightforward steps without giving up taste or flavor or to experiment with different ethnic recipes yet adding my own spin to it.

When Tunazzina asked me for a guest post of a Bangladeshi recipe about “love” for her Valentine’s Day series, I was thrilled. Immediately, I thought it would be great to share with all of you, her fabulous readers/fans, a dessert that is mainly served as part of wedding parties in Bangladesh.

The spectacular Bangladeshi wedding spread is as colorful and flavorful as the celebrations. Aromatic Kachchi Biryani, mouthwatering Rezala, and scrumptious kababs are often part of the feast. When it comes to dessert, the colorful and flavorful zarda pulao is almost synonymous with Bangladeshi wedding dessert. A wedding is rarely complete without serving zarda pulao. Zarda pulao is so aromatic and colorful that, it is often prepared at home during other festivals and celebrations as well.

Thank you Chef T for inviting me over. Enjoy and celebrate love – today, tomorrow, on Valentine’s Day and everyday!

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Recipe : Zarda Pulao
Ingredients:
2 cup rice, basmati or kalijeera
1 cup sugar
½ cup ghee or butter
2-3 sticks of cinnamon, half inches each
4-5 green cardamom
3-4 clove
2 1/2 cup orange juice
2 cup water
pinch of orange food color (optional)
pinch of saffron
Pistachio, pieces of morobba, for garnish

Steps :

1. Add saffron in 1 tablespoon of water. Set aside.
2. Add 2 cups of orange juice with 2 cups of water. Add orange food color and boil.
3. Add rice and cook until rice is done.
4. Drain the rice and spread in a platter so that rice does not stick.
5. In a pan, add sugar and remaining ½ cup of orange juice.
6. Add cinnamon, cardamom and cloves.
7. Add ghee/butter and stir until sugar dissolves.
8. Add rice, saffron water and mix well in low heat.
9. Once liquid is dried, turn off stove.
10. Spread zarda in a platter so that rice does not get sticky.
11. Garnish with pistachio and small pieces of morobba (candied winter melon).

Notes :

• Zarda can be prepared with pineapple juice instead of orange juice. In addition, add crushed pineapple in the sugar syrup and cook until pineapple is soft before adding rice for a completely different taste.
• You may also garnish zarda with raisins, almonds and small pieces of golab jamun.
• The oranges/clementine’s I used were very sweet. If you are using store brought juice, keep in mind that some juices have added sugar, some don’t. Adjust sugar depending on the type of juice used.

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