Persian Rice With Barberries (Zereshk Polow)

Ingredients

(this is a double recipe):
1 cup rice (jasmine or another long-grained variety)
1 cup dried barberries
5 tbsp white sugar
4 tbsp saffron water*
10 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp advieh spice
sea salt to taste


*to make saffron water:

• Put equal amounts of saffron & white sugar in your mortar and grind together using the pestle.
• Add some boiling water to the saffron mixture (4 tbsp to about 1 tsp  saffron and 1 tsp sugar) and pour into a spice bottle. 
• Cover & give it a nice shake.
• Open the lid and let it cool down to room temperature.
• Store bottle in the fridge and use as needed.

Directions

Rice:

• Wash rice several times until water runs clear
• Soak rice with salt to taste for at least an hour
• Bring a pot of water to a boil add salt to taste and add drained rice
• Once boiling, cook 10 minutes
• While the rice cooks, gently scoop the rice from the bottom of the pot and bring to the surface and release. Do this step several times. NOTE: Do not stir
• Check the rice to make sure it is cooked. It should be soft and cooked but not mushy.
• Drain rice in colander.
• Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.

Barberries:

• Pick over the barberries and remove any stones you may find and then soak in water for 5-10 minutes.
• Rinse barberries after soaking.
• In a skillet melt 1 tbsp of butter then add the barberries. Add the sugar and give it a nice stir so that the barberries are coated with butter and sugar.
• You will see that they will start to plump up! Add 1 tbsp saffron water and let the barberries absorb the liquid for about one minute. Remove from heat.

Main Dish:

• Melt remaining butter in a heavy pot, stir in 1 tbsp saffron water and a couple large spoons of rice. Pat down somewhat. This will for the tahdig crust.
• Sprinkle advieh and top with some barberry mixture.
• Repeat layers until the last layer is rice, reserving about 1/2 of a cup of barberries for garnish.
• Create 3-4 holes in the rice with the bottom of your spoon.
• Cover and cook on medium-high 10 minutes or until crust would be formed but not burnt.
• Melt 2 tbsp of butter and mix with 2 tbsp of Saffron water and 2 tbsp of water. Pour all over rice.
• Cover tightly and cook 1 hour on low.
• Serve rice in a platter and top with the reserved barberries