Zereshk Polo Ba Morgh

Ingredients

Chicken

• 4 bone-in skin-on chicken thighs and 4 drumsticks (or 6 thighs)
• 2 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 1 onion (large, sliced)
• 4 garlic cloves (crushed)
• 1 ½ teaspoons ground turmeric
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1 large pinch saffron threads (soaked in 3 tablespoons hot water)
• 250 ml water
• ½ lemon (juice)

Rice

• 500 g long-grain basmati rice
• 3 litres water (for parboiling)
• 3 tablespoons salt (for the boil - Persian rice cooking is heavily salted)
• 3 tablespoons sunflower oil
• 50 g unsalted butter
• 1 large pinch saffron threads (soaked in 4 tablespoons hot water)

Zereshk topping

• 80 g zereshk (dried barberries)
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 tablespoon caster sugar
• 1 small pinch saffron (extra)
• 2 tablespoons slivered almonds (toasted)
• 2 tablespoons slivered pistachios (unsalted, toasted)

Method

Stage 1 - Rinse and soak rice

1. Rinse basmati under cold water until the water runs clear (about 5 minute of rinsing).
2. Cover with cold water + 1 tablespoon salt; soak 1 hour minimum.

Stage 2 - Chicken

1. Heat oil in a wide pot over medium-high.
2. Add chicken pieces; brown 4 minutes per side. Lift to a plate.
3. Reduce to medium; add sliced onion; cook 8 minutes until soft and gold.
4. Add garlic, turmeric, tomato paste, cinnamon, salt and pepper; cook 1 minute.
5. Pour in 250 ml water; add lemon juice; stir.
6. Return chicken to the pot; spoon sauce over.
7. Cover; simmer 35-40 minutes until tender.
8. Stir in saffron-water; cook 5 more minutes uncovered to thicken the sauce slightly.
9. Keep warm.

Stage 3 - Parboil rice

1. Bring 3 litres of water with 3 tablespoons salt to a hard boil in a wide pot.
2. Drain the soaked rice; tip in.
3. Cook 5-6 minutes - taste a grain; the outside should be cooked but the centre still firm (70% done).
4. Drain into a sieve; rinse briefly with lukewarm water to stop cooking.

Stage 4 - Tahdig and steam

1. Wash and dry the pot.
2. Add 3 tablespoons oil and 30 g butter to the bottom; heat over medium until just bubbling.
3. Add about 2 large spoons of the parboiled rice to the bottom in an even layer (this becomes the tahdig).
4. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the saffron-water over this layer.
5. Add the remaining rice in a heap, spooning gently so you build a cone shape rather than pressing it down.
6. With the handle of a wooden spoon, poke 4-5 holes in the rice cone all the way to the bottom (this allows steam to circulate).
7. Dot the remaining 20 g butter around the top.
8. Drizzle 1 more tablespoon of saffron-water across.
9. Wrap the pot lid in a tea towel (the towel absorbs condensation, keeping the rice fluffy).
10. Place lid on; reduce heat to low.
11. Cook 35-40 minutes - the bottom forms a crispy golden tahdig; the rice steams to fluffy perfection.

Stage 5 - Zereshk

1. Rinse zereshk under cold water (they're often salty/dusty); drain.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a small pan over medium-low.
3. Add zereshk and sugar; sauté 1-2 minutes (they plump and gleam - DO NOT brown; they burn fast).
4. Stir in a small pinch of saffron.

Stage 6 - Plate

1. Lift the lid; spoon most of the rice onto a wide platter.
2. Spoon some saffron-rice (from the top of the rice cone, the most yellow part) into a small bowl, then sprinkle it over the white rice for the golden contrast.
3. Lift the tahdig out as a single golden disc with a wide flat spoon; place to one side of the platter (or break into shards).
4. Top the rice with the saffron chicken pieces and their sauce.
5. Sprinkle the zereshk over.
6. Scatter slivered almonds and pistachios.

Stage 7 - Serve

1. Eat with the chicken sauce drizzled, the tahdig broken into pieces for each plate.