Zerde, Turkish Saffron Rice Pudding

Name: Zerde, Turkish Saffron Rice Pudding
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Turkish
Ingredients: 80g short grain pudding rice; 1l water; 0.25 tsp saffron strands, soaked in 3 tbsp hot water; 180g caster sugar; 2 tbsp cornflour; 2 tbsp rose water; 40g sultanas; 3 tbsp pomegranate seeds; 0.5 tsp ground cinnamon, for dusting

A glowing golden saffron and rose pudding, set soft and topped with pomegranate seeds and sultanas.

Time55 min plus chilling
LevelEasy
Costabout £0.50 a head

Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.

6 servings

Ingredients

Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.

80 gshort grain pudding rice
1 lwater
¼ tspsaffron strandssoaked in 3 tbsp hot water
180 gcaster sugar
2 tbspcornflour
2 tbsprose water
40 gsultanas
3 tbsppomegranate seeds
½ tspground cinnamonfor dusting

Method

1
Rinse the rice, then put it in a pan with the water. Bring to the boil, cover and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes until the grains are very soft and breaking down.
28 min 20 s
2
Stir in the saffron with its soaking water, the sugar and the sultanas. Simmer for 5 minutes.
3
Stir in the cornflour paste and cook for 5 minutes, stirring, until the pudding thickens and turns glossy. Stir in the rose water.
5 min
4
Ladle into 6 small bowls and cool to room temperature, then chill for 3 hours until set softly.
180 min
5
Top with pomegranate seeds and a dusting of cinnamon just before serving.

Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.