Try this Zereshk Polo, a stunning Persian barberry rice dish. With fluffy basmati rice, tangy red barberries, aromatic spices, and nutty toppings, it's a flavorful and festive delight. Serve it with saffron chicken for a truly lavish Persian feast. I've provided separate ingredient lists for chicken and rice, if you want to make plain barberry rice. Note that some ingredients are common to both recipes.
Preheat the oven to 430°F. Pat the chicken dry and loosen the skin. Mix advieh, black pepper, and 2 teaspoons salt and rub the spices inside, outside, into the flesh, and under the skin. In a food processor, grind 1 onion, half the garlic and lemon juice. Strain the mixture. Add olive oil, saffron water and ¾ teaspoon salt. Drizzle ⅔ of the marinade over and inside the chicken, then refrigerate overnight.
Remove the chicken 30 minutes before cooking. Drizzle melted butter and half the remaining marinade inside and outside the chicken. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Stuff the cavity with quartered onion, remaining garlic, lemon, and bay leaves. Tie the drumstick ends with string and tuck the wing tips under the chicken.
Place chicken breast-side up on a bed of onion slices in a greased roasting pan and pour remaining marinade. Roast in the middle rack of the oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F, basting at 30 minutes and 1 hour. Let it rest before serving with pan juices.
Prepare Barberries
Remove tiny stems from dried barberries and place in a colander. Immerse the colander in cold water for 20 minutes, allowing sand to settle. Rinse thoroughly and drain.
In a cast iron skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 teaspoon ghee. Add onions and sauté until light golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 15 to 20 minutes. Tip: Add a pinch of salt while cooking the onions. Add barberries and cook for less than 1 minute. Watch carefully as the berries burn easily. Stir in sugar and cook for 1 more minute. Transfer the barberry mixture to a plate.
Cook Rice (2 Ways)
Rinse rice 4-5 times with water until it is clear and not starchy. Drain well. Choose one of the methods below.
Traditional Method: In a large pot, bring 10 cups of water with 2 tablespoons of salt to a rolling boil. Add basmati rice and boil for 4-5 minutes until soft, stirring occasionally. Drain in a colander and set aside.
Rice Cooker Method: In a rice cooker, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 3 tablespoons olive oil, 1 teaspoon ghee and basmati rice. Stir and cook just until all water is absorbed. DO NOT let the rice steam until it is fully done. In my rice cooker this process takes about 15 to 20 minutes. Transfer cooked rice immediately to another pan.
Rice Crust (optional, skip to next step if not making this)
Melt 2 tablespoons of butter or oil in a non-stick pot or Persian rice cooker bowl. Combine ½ cup of cooked rice with yogurt and 2 teaspoons of saffron water. Spread a ¼-inch-thick layer of rice-yogurt mixture over melted butter in the pot. Tip: Adjust the amount of oil, rice, yogurt and saffron based on the pot size.
Steam The Rice
Layer the remaining cooked white rice in the pot, sprinkling advieh in between. Tip: Drizzle 3 tablespoons of oil on top if using the traditional cooking method.
Sprinkle saffron water all over and create holes in the rice with a wooden spoon. Cover with a lid and steam for 15-20 minutes. After steaming, turn off the heat and let it rest for 5 minutes. Scoop out some saffron rice from the top and set it aside.
Serve
On a serving platter, assemble cooked rice and barberry mixture in several alternating layers. Top with almonds, pistachios, and reserved saffron rice. Serve with the rice crust (tahdig) on the side if prepared.
Notes
Persian spice mix Advieh and barberries (zereshk) are available at Persian or Middle Eastern stores or online. Substitute advieh with a mild Mediterranean or Middle Eastern spice mix.
Rice: Check package for cooking times or test a small quantity first. Look for premium long-grain basmati rice brands like India Gate, Royal, or Zebra at Indian grocery stores.
Traditional method: Parboil rice for 4 to 5 minutes, drain when it still retains shape with soft tips and a white dot in the center.
Rice cooker method: Use 1¼ to 1¾ cups water per cup of rice, depending on the rice's age.
Oven Method:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil or butter in an oven-proof dish. Spread saffron rice-yogurt mixture.
Place remaining cooked rice alternating with sprinkle of advieh. Drizzle oil or butter and remaining saffron water. Cover with parchment paper, foil and seal well. Bake for an hour until steam builds up well.
The crust (tahdig) should be golden. If using a glass dish, you can check the base.
Make Ahead/Storage: Have saffron water, cleaned barberries, and nuts ready a day ahead. Layer rice and barberries only before serving. This rice does not freeze well if stored along with barberries.
Grinding Saffron: Use a mortar and pestle to grind saffron threads with a pinch of salt or sugar into a fine powder.
Nutrition facts are approximate and not including tahdig.
Check the full blog post for more about ingredients, expert tips, serving suggestions, recipe FAQs and variations.