White and Yellow Rice with Zereshk (Barberries)

Ingredients

• White rice:
• 2 cups basmati rice
• 3 cups water
• 3 tablespoons oil
• 1 tablespoon salt (or to taste)
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• a knob of butter
• Yellow rice :
• 1 cup rice
• 1 1/2 cups water
• 1 medium spoon saffron powder
• 1/2 cup zereshk (barberries — sour dried berries similar to pomegranate seeds, often imported from Iran)
• a pinch black pepper
• a pinch cinnamon
• a pinch ground cumin
• dried fruits or nuts as desired
• For more of Fatima’s wonderful recipes:
• To make the tasty tomato sauce (daqoos) to serve with rice, from Fatima here is the link Daqoos

Method

1. To make the White and Yellow Rice with Zereshk (barberries), cook each type of rice in a separate pot.
2. White and Yellow Rice with Zereshk (Barberries) — Step One: To make the white rice, rinse the rice in cold water. This step is important to remove dirt and surface starch and to prevent the grains from sticking together during cooking.
3. Step Two: Soak the rice to reduce cooking time and ensure the grains are fully cooked. Soak the rice in hot water for 15 to 20 minutes before cooking.
   Timers: 20 min
4. Step three: Drain the rice after soaking and immediately before cooking. Drain it well so each grain keeps its shape and texture after boiling. Leave the rice in the colander for 5 minutes to remove all the water.
   Timers: 5 min
5. Step Four: Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat and add the rice. Stir the rice gently, then add the water, salt, and lemon juice to enhance the rice’s color until it turns a bright, pristine white.
6. When the water boils, add a piece of butter, cover the pot, and optionally place a rice towel under the lid.
7. Cook the rice for 17 minutes, until tender.
   Timers: 17 min
8. Step 5: After you turn off the heat, leave the lid on so the rice can rest. Do not stir it, or the grains will stick together. Let the rice rest for 10 minutes before serving.
   Timers: 10 min
9. Prepare the yellow rice with zereshk (barberries). Take one cup of rice, washed and soaked as directed in the initial white-rice steps, and place it in a pot with two tablespoons of oil. Add saffron powder or saffron dye and the zereshk (barberries).
10. Add, as desired, fried bits such as chopped almonds, pistachios, and cashews; then add the spices, a pinch of salt, and cover them with water.
11. Stir gently and let the water come to a boil, then cover the pot and reduce the heat.
12. Allow to cook over low heat for a quarter of an hour, then remove from the heat.
13. On the serving platter, place the white rice and spoon the yellow rice over the top. Serve the white-and-yellow rice with zereshk (barberries) alongside fish, meat, or chicken dishes.
14. For more of Fatima's wonderful recipes, here they are.
15. To make daqoos, or the delicious tomato sauce to serve with the rice — from Fatima, here is the link to the daqoos.
16. White and Yellow Rice with Zereshk (Barberries): A classic Persian dish of fluffy white rice combined with saffron‑tinted yellow rice and finished with tart dried barberries (zereshk), also listed as dried pomegranate seeds in some ingredient lists.