Shir Berenj (Milk Rice)

For the rice to get softer faster, you can soak it in water two hours prior to starting the cooking. In a pot, put about 1-2 cups water with the rice and allow it to soften…on a medium temperature on the stove. Once it appears that the rice has softened a bit you can add your milk. You will want to stir occasionally to make sure the contents of the pot are mixing and not sticking to the bottom. Once the mixture thickens (may take awhile) then you can add the rose water. Allow it to cook and additional 15-25 minutes. If you choose to add whip cream you can do so at this time. The whip cream will give it a creamer taste. I usually like to have shir berenj that is sweet, so I add sugar as well. And at times (like this time) I even added some ground cardamom to give it an additional aroma and taste. Rose water alone does provide that was well…and some people don’t like cardamom that much. At the end when everything is thick and added, pour the contents of the pot into a large bowl, or a combination of different sized bowls. Allow it to cool and then serve. After it cools down I usually cover it and leave it in the fridge to preserve it. Edit