Ingredients

Serves 6

Zereshk Polow

75 g dried barberries, stems removed
Water
50 g unsalted butter
1 tbsp caster sugar
2 tbsp saffron liquid (see below)
300 g basmati rice
2 tablespoons sea salt
70 ml vegetable oil
1 tablespoon rosewater, or to taste
Dried rose petals to garnish (optional)

Saffron Liquid:
20 saffron threads
2 tbsp boiling water

 


Zoolbia
Makes about 15

120 g icing sugar
50 g ground pistachios
½ tsp ground cardamom
Vegetable oil for deep-frying
Fritter Batter:
175 g plain flour
1 tablespoon dried yeast
250 ml warm water
75 g thick natural yoghurt
2 tbsp saffron liquid (see above recipe)
Pinch of sea salt

 

Method

Zereshk Polow (Barberry rice with rose petals)
Fresh barberries are mouth-puckering tart, but when dried, which is how they are sold in specialist Iranian or Middle Eastern stores, they add little bursts of sweet-sourness to a dish - and they look like little rubies! This polow is especially good with roast or grilled chicken. The rose petals are not strictly traditional, but they look beautiful and their sweet perfume works well with the tart barberries.


To make the saffron liquid, lightly toast the saffron threads in a dry frying pan over a medium heat for about 30 seconds. While the threads must be totally dry, be very careful not to burn them. As they crisp up, they will begin to release a wonderfully pungent aroma. Tip the saffron into a mortar and leave for a moment or two before grinding to a powder. Mix the ground saffron with the boiling water and set aside to infuse fro at least an hour before using. The colour will continue to develop for about 12 hours.

Soak the barberries in cold water for 2 minutes, then drain and dry well. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over a low heat. Add the barberries and fry for 4–5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the sugar and saffron liquid and cook for another 3-4 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat.
Wash, soak and parboil the rice for 4 minutes. Refresh.
Return the rice saucepan to a medium heat and add the oil and 2 tablespoons water. As soon as the oil begins to sizzle, spoon in enough rice to cover the base of the pan in a thin layer. Scatter some of the barberries over the rice with a little of the buttery saffron liquid. Continue to layer the rice and the barberries, building them up into a pyramid. Use the handle of a wooden spoon to poke 5 or 6 holes down through the rice to the base of the pan to help it steam. Drizzle on 2 tablespoons warm water and any remaining melted butter.
Leave the pan on a medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until the rise is visibly steaming – you will see puffs of steam escaping from the edges of the pan. Turn the heat down to a low and leave the pan alone for 40 minutes. Resist the temptation to peek, as this releases the steam and affects the cooking time. The rice can actually sit quite happily over the lowest possible heat for another 20 minutes or so.
When ready to serve, sit the saucepan in a little cold water in the sink, the sudden change in temperature creates a surge of steam that ‘shocks’ the rice and makes it shrink from the sides, which loosens the crusty bottom.
To serve, invert the pan onto a warm serving platter to that the rice plops out as one glorious, golden capped mound. Otherwise, spoon the rice into a warm serving dish and when you reach the crispy base, lift it out and drape it over the rice. It doesn’t matter in the slightest if the tah-deeg breaks. Alternatively, present it on a separate plate.

Serve with a sprinkling of rosewater and the rose petals, if using.

 


Zoolbia (Crunchy fritters with spiced sugar)

Combine the icing sugar, pistachios and cardamom well and store in an airtight jar until ready to use.
To make the batter, sift the flour into a bowl. Sprinkle on the yeast, then whisk in the warm water and yoghurt to form a batter. Stir in the saffron liquid and salt, then cover and leave to stand for at least 2 hours or up to 12 hours.
Pour vegetable oil into a small, deep, heavy-based saucepan to a depth of 5 cm. Heat the oil to 190ºC. If you don’t have a candy thermometer, the oil will have reached temperature when it is shimmering, and when a blob of batter sizzles up to the surface in a few seconds.
Pour the batter into a piping bag fitted with a narrow nozzle, or into a plastic squeeze bottle. Pipe the batter into the oil, working from the centre outwards in a spiral. Use the size of the saucepan as the template for your fritter size. Don’t worry if you do not make a perfect spiral, as a free-form, lacy effect is just as pretty. Cook for 1–2 minutes, moving the fritter in the hot oil with a slotted spoon so it colours evenly. Once the batter has set, turn it over in the oil to colour. Lift the fritter out of the oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels for a moment. Repeat with the remaining batter. Dust the spiced sugar over the fritters and enjoy with a cup of strong coffee or tea.