Zereshk Polo Morgh – Persian Saffron Chicken with Barberry Rice

About This Recipe

Zereshk polo morgh is the crown jewel of Persian home cooking — braised chicken in a saffron and tomato sauce served alongside zereshk polo, a fragrant basmati rice cooked with crimson dried barberries (zereshk) and perfumed with saffron. The dish is simultaneously a feast for the eyes and the palate: the rice is studded with jewel-bright red barberries against golden saffron-tinted grains, creating one of the most visually beautiful presentations in any cuisine. The chicken is braised with saffron, onion, turmeric, and tomato until deeply flavoured and tender, then served alongside or over the rice. The barberries are briefly sautéed with butter, sugar, and saffron before being mixed through the cooked rice, creating bursts of tart, fruity flavour against the savoury backdrop. The crispy rice crust (tahdig) that forms at the bottom of the pot is considered the most prized element — a tradition that Persian cooks refine over a lifetime. This dish is served at every important occasion in Iran: New Year (Nowruz), weddings, and family gatherings. It represents Persian hospitality and the extraordinary sophistication of Iranian rice cooking.

Ingredients

Serves 4

• 1whole chicken(jointed, or 1kg chicken pieces)
• 2onions(thinly sliced)
• 1 tspground turmeric
• 1/2 tspsaffron(bloomed in 4 tbsp hot water)
• 2tomatoes(grated)
• 400 gbasmati rice(washed and soaked 1 hour)
• 60 gdried barberries (zereshk)(rinsed)
• 60 gbutter
• 1 tbspsugar
• 3 tbspvegetable oil

Instructions

1. 1

   Braise the chicken

   Fry onions in oil until golden. Add turmeric. Add chicken pieces, brown lightly. Add grated tomatoes and half the saffron water. Cover and cook on low heat 40–50 minutes until very tender.

2. 2

   Par-boil the rice

   Drain soaked rice. Boil in heavily salted water for 5–6 minutes until al dente — soft outside, firm core. Drain immediately.

   Par-boiling and then steaming is the Persian method. It produces the driest, most separate rice grains.

3. 3

   Make the tahdig (crispy crust)

   Heat 3 tbsp oil in a pot. Mix 3 tbsp par-boiled rice with remaining saffron water and 1 tbsp yogurt. Spread over the bottom of the pot to form the tahdig layer.

4. 4

   Steam the rice

   Mound remaining rice over the tahdig layer. Wrap the pot lid in a clean cloth to absorb steam. Cook on medium heat 5 minutes, then very low heat 40 minutes.

5. 5

   Prepare barberries

   Sauté barberries in butter with sugar and 1 tbsp saffron water for 2 minutes. Mix into the top portion of rice.

6. 6

   Serve

   Unmould the rice onto a platter — the crispy tahdig should come out in one piece (ideally). Serve rice alongside braised chicken.

Variations

• •

  Adas polo: substitute lentils and raisins for barberries for a different jewelled rice.

• •

  Use dried cranberries as a substitute for barberries if they are unavailable.

Storage

Chicken and rice keep 3 days separately in the fridge. The tahdig does not reheat well.

Frequently Asked Questions