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Zereshk Polo ba Morgh (Barberry Rice with Chicken)

Name: Zereshk Polo ba Morgh (Barberry Rice with Chicken)
Total time: 60 min
Yield: Serves 2
Cuisine: Iran
Ingredients: 2 cups Rice; 2 Chicken thighs; 4 tbsp Dried barberries; 1 Onion; A pinch Saffron; 1 tbsp Sugar; 2 tbsp Butter; 1/2 tsp Turmeric

Rice Dish

⏱ 60 min

👥 Serves 2

Difficulty ⭐⭐

Saffron-golden rice studded with tart barberries, served with chicken — a festive centerpiece of Persian celebrations.

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📖 The Story Behind This Dish

Saffron-tinted basmati rice is dotted with tart red barberries (zereshk) for a strikingly beautiful dish, served alongside chicken slow-cooked with saffron and onion. It's a beloved centerpiece for weddings and Nowruz, the Persian New Year.

🌆 Where it's eaten: The Nowruz table: golden saffron rice and the deep red of the barberries welcome in the new year. Relatives gather around a large shared platter, wishing each other good fortune.

🥕 Ingredients (serves 2)

Rice 2 cups
Chicken thighs 2
Dried barberries 4 tbsp
Onion 1
Saffron A pinch
Sugar 1 tbsp
Butter 2 tbsp
Turmeric 1/2 tsp

👩‍🍳 Instructions

Rinse the rice, soak for 30 minutes, and parboil.
Sauté the onion, then add the chicken and sear.
Add saffron-steeped water and salt, and simmer until the chicken is cooked through.
Rinse the barberries quickly and sauté briefly in butter with the sugar.
Steam the parboiled rice in a pot or steamer until fully cooked.
Mound the rice on a plate, scatter with barberries, and serve with the chicken and its sauce.

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