Zereshk polo

Method

1. 1 Soak basmati rice in salt water for 2 hours, then boil for 6 minutes until 70% cooked and drain in a colander.
2. 2 Simmer the chicken with onions, turmeric, and dried lemon for 35 minutes until the meat is tender.
3. 3 Soak barberries in cold water for 15 minutes, then sauté them with butter and sugar for exactly 60 seconds — overcooking will make them bitter and lose their red color.
4. 4 Arrange the rice in a cone shape in the pot, drizzle with butter and saffron milk, cover with a cloth, and simmer for 40 minutes.
5. 5 Serve the rice, mix in half of the barberry dressing, and sprinkle the rest with pistachios on top along with the braised chicken.

With an appliance

• Oven 1 hr 40 min

  Replace step 4: cover the rice cooker and cook on the bottom rack of the oven at 170 degrees for 40 minutes, rotating the cooker at the 20th minute to ensure even browning; the steps for braising the chicken and sautéing the berries remain the same.