Zereshk polo with chicken زرشک‌پلو با مرغ

Name: Zereshk polo with chicken
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Persian
Ingredients: 800 g chicken thighs; 1 onions; 1 tsp turmeric; 1 tbsp tomato paste; 1 pinch saffron threads, ground and dissolved in 4 tbsp hot water; 400 g basmati rice; 60 g barberries (zereshk); 1 tbsp sugar; 30 g butter; 2 tbsp pistachios, chopped; 3 tbsp oil; salt (to taste)

Saffron rice with glossy, tart barberries and tender chicken in saffron sauce. The typical dish for weddings and guests.

⏱ 120 min

Ingredients

600 g chicken thighs
¾ onions
¾ tsp turmeric
¾ tbsp tomato paste
¾ pinch saffron threads, ground and dissolved in 4 tbsp hot water
300 g basmati rice
45 g barberries (zereshk)
¾ tbsp sugar
23 g butter
1½ tbsp pistachios, chopped
2¼ tbsp oil
salt (to taste)

Method

Soak, parboil and steam the rice as for chelow (see the chelow with tahdig recipe).
Slice the onion into rings and fry in oil with the turmeric. Add the chicken and brown it, then stir in the tomato paste and half of the saffron water.
Braise covered with a little water for 45 minutes until the chicken is tender and the sauce has reduced. Season with salt.
Pick over the barberries, rinse briefly and drain. Toss them in the butter with the sugar for 1–2 minutes; they burn quickly.
Mix some rice with the remaining saffron water. Arrange the rice on a platter, top with the saffron rice, barberries and pistachios and serve with the chicken.