We sent Hunter out to look for Barberries to make this traditionally Persian jeweled rice dish, as Bubba was on a work assignment elsewhere for the month. Hunter came back much later than expected and with major jet lag, as his research lead him to Iran where this mature fruit grows in shrubs. Although we liked it in this dish we found a great substitute = Cranberries! So we tried them in this recipes and everyone agreed that using the cranberries in replace of the barberries would work just fine.  Indie in our Quality assurance also agrees it tastes very similar to the tangy Barberries says it’s a great substitute. Just make sure the cranberries you’re using are the unsweetened variety otherwise it will be too sweet. This is my favorite version of Persian jeweled rice, I hope you enjoy as much as we do. 

Kitchen Essentials:

• Deep Fry NonStick Pan t
• Small pan
• Strainer
• Two bowls
• Rubber spatula
• If your wanted to try Barberries, you can order them directly from amazon.

To make the Persian Jeweled Rice: “Two Step Process“

Step 1:

• Heat 4 tbsp of butter in your pan with the Saffron threads cook for one min, remove and set aside. This will be used in your final step.
• Add the onions to the same pan, and cook till soft, then add in all your spices and cook for 2 minutes till fragrant set aside.

Step 2:

• Rinse your rice in cold water and bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add in a few pinches of salt and your rice. Boil your rice for 5 minutes, cooking halfway through and drain the water out in your strainer.
• Separate your rice into 2 bowls, one cup of rice per bowl.
• Now, toast your pistachios in the pan for 2 minutes. And add them to rice bowl 2, along with your dried, apricots, raisins, and cranberries too and set aside.

Rice bowl 1: Mix your cup of rice with the Yogurt.

Rice bowl 2: Mix your cooked pistachios and all your dried fruit to bowl, along with your cooked onion and spices.

Cooking the Jeweled RICE all together:

• Add 2 tbsp of butter to your pan over medium heat and then the “yogurt + rice” mixture.
• Then place the bowl 2 of the rice mixture/fruit/spices over top of the other rice, creating two layers.

• Use a rubber spatula to carefully push the rice away from the sides of the pot, scraping it up into a mound (leaving 1/2 a inch from the sides of the pan).
• In the center of the mound, pierce 3 vent holes about an inch apart, with a knife to allow it to vent while cooking.
• Pour the set aside saffron + butter mixture from step 1, over all the rice. And place a dry clean dishcloth over the pan and cover with a pot cover. Cook on medium low for 30 minutes till rice is tender.

To Finish the Dish:

1. Turn heat off and allow it to sit there uncovered on the element for the remaining 10 minutes.
2. Pour your rice onto a large serving plate and squeeze 2 tbsp of orange juice all over the rice.
3. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds and enjoy!

Thank you Hunter for all the hard work you did trying to find those Barberries but we will go with Cranberries for this recipe from now on. 

Note: Make sure not to skip the Yogurt as it helps the rice to cook properly. Saffron threads can be found in most Mediterranean or Middle Eastern markets. Typically Persian jewelled rice is served at weddings in Iran, along side

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