Zereshk Polo

Zereshk polo is an Iranian rice dish, its name meaning barberry rice in Persian, made by combining basmati rice with tart dried red barberries and often served with saffron infused chicken or other meats. It originates from Iran's Khorasan region, with the barberry and rice combination emerging during the Safavid dynasty of the sixteenth through eighteenth centuries and meat accompaniments becoming standardized later during the Qajar period, and it is considered a festive or ceremonial dish prized for its crimson color and balanced sweet tart flavor. The rice is soaked, parboiled and steamed to form a crisp golden crust called tahdig, the barberries are briefly sauteed with sugar and saffron water to soften their tartness, and the dish is inverted and garnished before being served hot.