Zereshk pulao

Zereshk or barberries are tiny, tart, crimson berries used in Armenian and middle eastern cuisine. I learned how to make this rice dish from my mother in law, who is Armenian, but I think the roots of the dish lie in Persian cuisine.

To make this pulao, you will need the Zereshk. You can find them in good middle eastern stores or some health food stores. If unavailable, you can substitute with dried cranberries, but the taste is not the same. You will also need some rice, olive oil, saffron, salt and some sugar.

Wash and soak the rice. I use two cups to serve four people. In a large saucepan bring plenty of water ( about 2 litres) to the boil. Add the washed rice and cook until the rice is just tender. Drain the rice in a colander and rinse with cold water to remove the starch and stop the rice from over cooking.  Return the empty saucepan to the heat, and add two tablespoons of olive oil and 1/2 a cup of the barberries. I soak and wash them first to remove any impurities. Stir the barberries in the oil for a minute and then add a good pinch of saffron, two teaspoons of salt (or to your preference) and 1 tablespoon of sugar. Mix well but do not over heat, you want the barberries to retain their crimson colour. Add the cooked rice. Mix well and cover. Place a diffuser or fry pan underneath the saucepan (to avoid the saucepan from coming into contact with direct heat) and cook on a low heat for a further 10 minutes or until the rice is cooked through. Serve hot with kebabs, khoresht or lentils or enjoy it on its own as the addition of saffron, salt and sugar means that this dish is packed full of flavour and the little gems are little explosions waiting to happen when you bite into them.