Authentic Himachali Dham Mithe Chawal
Fragrant sweet rice cooked in pure desi ghee and aromatic spices, a festive staple from traditional Himachali Dham feasts. Garnished with dry fruits and infused with delicate notes of cardamom and cloves.
40min
Total Time
4
Servings
Himachali
Cuisine
Recipe
1
Rinse the soaked basmati rice thoroughly and drain all the excess water.
2
Heat pure pahadi ghee in a heavy-bottomed pan on medium heat.
3
Add the chopped cashews, almonds, and raisins to the ghee and sauté until lightly golden; remove and set aside for garnish.
4
In the remaining ghee, add the green cardamom pods, cloves, and cinnamon stick, letting them sizzle for a few seconds until fragrant.
5
Add the drained basmati rice to the pan and gently sauté it in the spiced ghee for about two minutes without breaking the grains.
6
Pour in two cups of water and bring the mixture to a gentle boil.
7
Stir in the sugar and the saffron strands or yellow food color, mixing until the sugar completely dissolves.
8
Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan with a tight-fitting lid, and let it simmer for 15 to 18 minutes until the rice is tender and has absorbed all the syrup.
9
Turn off the heat and let the rice rest covered for 5 minutes.
10
Gently fluff the sweet rice with a fork, garnish with the roasted dry fruits, and serve warm.
Ingredients
1 cup long-grain basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes
3/4 cup sugar
3 tbsp pure pahadi ghee
4-5 green cardamom pods
3-4 cloves
1 small cinnamon stick
10-12 cashews and almonds, chopped
2 tbsp raisins
A pinch of edible yellow food color or saffron strands
2 cups water
*This AI-generated recipe may contain inaccuracies.