Zerde

Zerde is a Turkish sweet made by cooking rice in water and sweetening it. It is known for being colored yellow with saffron or similar ingredients and scented with rose water. It also uses rice, but the liquid it is based on differs from that of sütlaç, in which rice is cooked in milk.

Adding fragrance to yellow rice

In the method presented by the Turkish Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the rice is cooked until soft, and then starch dissolved in water is mixed in. Saffron infusion and sugar are added, the pot is taken off the heat, rose water is stirred in, and the mixture is poured into bowls and left to cool. Scattering raisins, chopped hazelnuts and pomegranate seeds on top adds the textures of fruit and nuts to the soft rice base.

Regions that layer it with white milk dishes

Zerde is served at weddings and on religious holidays, and it is also called the “wedding pudding.” In Gaziantep, it is customary to serve it together with unsweetened sütlaç. In one example from Mardin, rice cooked in water with sugar and allspice is layered on top of cooled, unsweetened milk rice. Besides being a sweet colored yellow with saffron, zerde also takes regional forms in which it is combined with another milk dessert.

The wedding dish of Şanlıurfa

Zerde in Şanlıurfa uses safflower blossoms, from a plant distinct from saffron, for color and aroma. The flowers are steeped in hot water or boiled to release their color, and that liquid is added to the pot of rice and sugar. In the local form presented by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the dish is served without any garnish of fruit or nuts. It is also made for occasions when people gather, such as weddings, engagements and pilgrimage meals.

The meal served at weddings in this region is called süpha. The Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s regional records describe a menu in which lamb dishes and pilaf topped with raisins and chickpeas are followed by sweet zerde. Relatives are welcomed, food is also shared with those in need, and portions are delivered to the neighbors. Pilaf and zerde are also said to appear at the meal with which people returning from pilgrimage receive their visitors.

Iran’s sholeh zard is also a sweet dish made with rice and saffron. Both share the feature of cooking rice in water, but zerde includes methods such as combining it with a milk layer or adjusting its thickness with starch.

Glossary