This Iranian rice, a festive dish served at weddings, is as sumptuous as you get. You can see by its appearance why it is called “jeweled.” Iranian and Middle Eastern stores sell barberries (sour berries called zereshk), sugared orange peel, and slivered almonds and pistachios. Dried pitted sour cherries and cranberries can be found in some supermarkets.

　　

Ingredients

serves 6

　　2 whole chicken breasts, boned and skinned

　　6 tablespoons butter or vegetable oil

　　Salt

　　2 cups basmati rice

　　1/3 cup dried pitted sour cherries

　　1/3 cup dried cranberries

　　1/3 cup barberries

　　1/4 teaspoon saffron powder or crushed saffron threads

　　1/4 cup candied orange peel (see note, page 352) or coarse-cut orange marmalade, chopped (optional)

　　1/2 cup split blanched almonds

　　1/3 cup coarsely chopped or slivered pistachios

　　

Step 1

Sauté the chicken breasts in 2 tablespoons of the butter or oil, turning them over once and sprinkling lightly with salt, until lightly browned but still juicy inside. Cut each half breast into about 6 slices.

　　

Step 2

Wash the rice in warm water and rinse in a colander under the cold tap. Soak the sour cherries, cranberries, and barberries in water for 15 minutes.

　　

Step 3

Throw the drained rice in plenty of boiling salted water in a large (9–10-inch) preferably nonstick pan and boil for about 10 minutes, until partly cooked and still a little firm, then drain.

　　

Step 4

Heat 2 tablespoons butter or oil in the bottom of the pan and stir in the saffron. Spread alternate layers of rice, chicken pieces, and the rest of the ingredients, ending with rice and sprinkling lightly with salt. Add the remaining butter (cut in little pieces) or oil over the top at the end.

　　

Step 5

Put the lid on and steam on the lowest heat for about 20–30 minutes, or until the rice is tender.

　　

Step 6

For serving, see box below.

　　

Variations

Step 7

Instead of the sour cherries and cranberries, have chopped dried apricots and chopped dates, or raisins.

　　

Step 8

If you use a nonstick pan, you can turn the rice out like a crusty golden cake.

　　The New Book of Middle Eastern Food Copyright © 2000Knopf