Zereshk Polo Morgh

Zereshk Polo Morgh

Zereshk Polo Morgh

Saffron rice studded with tart, jewel-like barberries (zereshk) served alongside slow-braised chicken in a golden saffron sauce — Iran's signature celebration dish.

Cuisines

Persian

Best for

Lunch Dinner

Build a full meal around Zereshk Polo Morgh

Get a matched combo of sides and accents

Recipe

Prep: 20 min Cook: 40 min Total: 60 min 2-3 servings

Ingredients

basmati rice 2 cups Basmati rice
salt 2 tablespoons Salt
vegetable oil 2 tablespoons Vegetable oil
Barberry 1 cup Barberry
sugar 2 tablespoons Sugar
Saffron 1/4 teaspoon Saffron , threads
water 1/4 cup Water , hot
Onion 1 medium Onion , finely chopped
butter 2 tablespoons Butter
Chicken Breast 2 pieces Chicken Breast , boneless and skinless
Turmeric 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric , ground
cinnamon 1/2 teaspoon Cinnamon , ground
chicken stock 1 cup Chicken stock
Salt And Pepper Salt And Pepper , to taste

Instructions

  1. 1 Wash and soak the basmati rice in cold water for 30 minutes.
  2. 2 In a small bowl, dissolve the saffron threads in 1/4 cup of hot water and set aside.
  3. 3 Rinse the zereshk (barberries) under cold water to remove any debris and soak them in water for 10 minutes.
  4. 4 In a large pot, bring water to a boil, add 2 tablespoons of salt, and parboil the rice for about 5-7 minutes until it is slightly tender. Drain and set aside.
  5. 5 In a pan, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil over medium heat and sauté the chopped onion until golden brown.
  6. 6 Add the chicken pieces to the pan, season with turmeric, ground cinnamon, salt, and pepper, and brown on all sides.
  7. 7 Pour in the chicken stock, cover, and simmer for 20-25 minutes until the chicken is cooked through.
  8. 8 In another pan, melt the butter and add the soaked zereshk, sugar, and half of the dissolved saffron. Sauté for 2-3 minutes until the barberries are plump.
  9. 9 In a large pot, layer the parboiled rice with the remaining saffron water, and top with the zereshk mixture.
  10. 10 Cover the pot with a lid wrapped in a clean kitchen towel and steam the rice over low heat for 20 minutes.
  11. 11 Serve the rice on a platter with the cooked chicken on the side.

Tips

For extra flavour, use whole spices in the oil first.