Degi Mutanjan Recipe (Colourful Sweet Rice with Khoya)

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The Day I Fell in Love with Mutanjan

For the longest time, I was sure that yellow sweet rice (zarda) was the only way to go. Sweet rice, to me, had to be bright yellow with that cosy smell of cardamom. I honestly thought white sweet rice would be boring, so I never even tried it.

Everything changed at a wedding. The food was everywhere, biryani, korma, you name it, and then I saw a big, beautiful bowl of degi mutanjan sitting in the corner. It looked like a party on a plate, covered in colourful ashrafiyan (tutti frutti), tiny sweet cham cham and lots of crunchy nuts.

I was curious, so I took a spoon, and I was shocked! It was so much richer than my old favourite zarda. Every grain was light and fluffy, and every bite was a little surprise: sometimes creamy khoya, sometimes a crunchy almond. Now mutanjan is officially my number one. It’s like a sweet, colourful festival in every bite.

Mutanjan vs Zarda: What’s the Difference?

• Zarda is yellow sweet rice flavoured mainly with cardamom.
• Mutanjan is richer. It is cooked in a milk and sugar syrup with khoya, and topped with colourful rice, tutti frutti, nuts and small sweets like cham cham or gulab jamun.

Tips for Perfect Degi Mutanjan

• Use aged basmati rice: long, separate grains look best.
• Boil only 90%: the rice finishes cooking in the syrup.
• Fold gently: stirring hard breaks the grains.
• Give it proper dum: a cloth under the lid traps steam and keeps the rice fluffy.
• Adjust sugar: mutanjan is meant to be sweet, but you can reduce the sugar by a quarter.

Fozia Siraj

Degi Mutanjan

Wedding-style degi mutanjan: fluffy sweet rice with khoya, colourful tutti frutti, nuts and little cham cham.

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Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 45 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 15 minutes mins

Servings: 8 people

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Pakistani

Calories: 450

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

Rice

basmati rice

each red, green and orange food colour

water

Syrup

ghee

green cardamom

cloves

sugar

full cream milk

kewra water

khoya

Nuts and Dried Fruit

ashrafiyan (tutti frutti)

desiccated coconut

raisins

almonds

pistachios

Garnish

small cham cham or gulab jamun

almonds, khoya and edible silver leaf (chandi warq)

Equipment

• 1 Large Boiling Pot (Patila)
• 1 Heavy-Bottomed Wok
• 3 3 Small Bowls For mixing the red, green, and orange food colors

Method

 

Prepare

Cook

Dum and Serve

Notes

Boil the rice only until 90% done, so the grains stay separate after steaming in the syrup.

When to Serve Mutanjan

Mutanjan is a favourite at weddings, Eid and dawats. Serve it warm as a dessert after a rich meal like my mutton karahi or chicken pulao.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make mutanjan without food colour?

Yes. It will look like white sweet rice, and the tutti frutti and nuts will still add colour.

Why is my mutanjan sticky?

The rice was overcooked before adding it to the syrup, or it was stirred too much. Boil it only 90% and fold gently.

Can I make it ahead?

Yes. Make it a few hours ahead and warm it on very low heat with a splash of milk before serving.

What can I use instead of khoya?

Use milk powder mixed with a little cream, or simply leave it out. Khoya makes it richer but is not essential.