Zereshk Polo

Cooking Instructions

Rinse rice 3 times, then soak in warm water with 1/4 cup salt for 5 hours. Drain.

In a large (8 qt) pot, bring 8 cups water to a boil. Add rice and cook 8 to 10 minutes until slightly soft. Drain in a colander.

Heat 2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet. Add onion and sauté until soft. Add chicken, 1/2 cup water, 1/2 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp black pepper. Cover and simmer over low heat 60 until chicken is cooked through. Remove from heat. Pull meat off bones; cut in 2 in. pieces and return to leftover cooking broth. Cover to keep warm.

Rinse barberries (if using) 3 times. Melt butter in a small pot; add barberries and sauté 1 minute. Add sugar; sauté 1 minute more. Dilute saffron in 1/2 cup hot water and stir into barberries.

In the large pot used to cook the rice, heat 3 Tbsp oil. Add rice, using a large spoon and fluffing rice. Pour barberry mixture over the rice.

Cover pot and cook over low heat about 30 minutes. For a crisp, golden layer on bottom of rice (called ‘ta-dig’), cook another 15 minutes.

Using a large serving spoon, place rice in a large flat serving dish, gently mixing the barberries with the rice. Top with the chicken and serve.