Zereshk Polo ba Morgh — Barberry Rice with Chicken

Fry the sliced onion in the oil until deep golden. Stir in the turmeric and tomato paste and cook for 2 minutes, then brown the chicken pieces in it. Add half the saffron water, a cup of hot water and 1 tsp salt, cover, and braise gently for 40 minutes until the chicken is tender.

Meanwhile, boil the rice: drop the drained soaked rice into a big pot of salted boiling water and cook 5 to 6 minutes, until soft outside but firm at the core. Drain in a sieve.

Heat 2 tbsp oil in the empty pot, spread the drained rice back in as a gentle mound, and wrap the lid in a clean tea towel. Steam on the lowest heat for 30 minutes — this both fluffs the rice and builds a tahdig crust on the base.

💡 The towel catches the steam that would otherwise drip back and make the rice wet. Low and slow is the rule — rush the heat and the base burns before the crust forms.

Glaze the barberries: melt the butter in a small pan over low heat, add the drained barberries and sugar, and toss for just 1 to 2 minutes until glossy. Take them off the heat the moment they plump — they scorch and turn bitter in seconds.

💡 Never fry barberries over anything but a low flame, and never leave the pan. Burnt zereshk is the classic ruined-at-the-last-step mistake.

Scoop out a couple of ladles of the steamed rice and toss with the rest of the saffron water to make bright yellow saffron rice for topping.

Mound the white rice on a platter, scatter the saffron rice and most of the glazed barberries over the top, and serve the saffron-tomato chicken alongside with the rest of the barberries spooned over it.