Add 1/2 cup water, saffron - milk mixture, and chai masala if using. (indianasapplepie.com)
2 tablespoons milk or milk alternative 3 large pinches saffron 1 cup basmati rice, washed 4 1/2 cups water, divided 2 tablespoons ghee or oil 2 cinnamon sticks 8 cloves, slightly crushed 8 green cardamom pods, slightly crushed 1/3 cup raisin or other dry fruit (cranberry, cherries, or yellow raisins) 12 raw almonds, thinly sliced 12 raw cashews, roughly chopped 1 cup Sucanat or regular sugar 1 teaspoon chai masala (optional) (indianasapplepie.com)
Apple and almond go very well together but addition of the spices through chai masala is what makes your taste buds go hmm and where you can't pinpoint what flavor you get, a bit of cinnamon / cardamom / ginger. (elegantmeraki.com)