Citrus Saffron Sweet Rice

How many times we all have to deal with leftover rice.  I generally make some savory dish out of those by adding vegetables, peanuts and other condiments.  This time I decided to make a dessert out of my leftover rice.  The result was a gourmet dish which can make anyone take second helping.  Saffron rice is a popular dish on any auspicious occasion in India but by adding orange zest it gave a very refreshing citrus flavor to my rice dish.

 Ingredients:

2 ½ cups cooked rice, 1 cup sugar, 1 ½ tbsp ghee (purifying butter),  2 cloves, 2 green cardamoms, 1 pinch of saffron, 1 tbsp of warm milk, a few drops of saffron color, 20 almonds slivered, 10 cashews divided into two parts, 15 raisins, peel of one orange

Method:

Scrape the white bitter pith of the orange peel.  Wash the zest, dry it between the paper towel. Take ¾ cup of sugar and zest of the orange and mince it in the mixer. Combine rice and this orange sugar mix in a bowl and keep it aside. Sprinkle leftover ¼ cup of sugar on the top of this rice mix.
In the meanwhile, combine warm milk, saffron threads and saffron color and keep it aside.
Heat ghee in a non stick pan and add cloves and cardamom and sauté for 30 seconds on a slow flame. Add rice and orange sugar mix into this.  Stir it occasionally on medium flame for 4-5 minutes till liquid of the sugar almost evaporates.  Now add saffron milk to it and lower the flame. Cook for another two minutes.
Add almonds, cashews and raisins to the mix.
Enjoy it warm.