Jewelled Rice

Ingredients

• 300g basmati rice
• 2 oranges
• 2 carrots
• 40g slivered almond, toasted
• ½ tsp saffron soaked in 2 tbsp hot water
• 1 tsp dried rose petals (optional)
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• 10 cardamom pods crushed
• 1 tbsp veg oil
• 40g butter
• 40g pistachios roughly chopped
• 40g raisins soaked in warm water
• 40g barberries
• Toasted flaked almonds to garnish

For the Hosef

• 100g caster sugar
• 125ml water
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 30g barberries
• Juice 1 lime
• 10ml rosewater
  
  

Method

For the Syrup

Wash and soak the rice and soak for a few hours. Zest the oranges and cut into julienne. In a small pan cover with water, bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes. Drain Peel and cut the carrots, and cut into julienne. Mix the rose petals, cinnamon and cardamom together. Heat the oil and the butter and sauté the carrots until tender. Add a pinch of sugar and the orange zest. Add the saffron water, dried fruit and nuts. Set aside. Boil a pot of salted water and add the drained rice. Boil the rice for few minutes until tender. Drain and rinse. Heat an additional 40ml veg oil and 30g butter. Add a layer of rice, then layer with carrot mix, keeping a ¼ aside to garnish. Keep layering with rice and carrot mix, and season each layer with salt and pepper , and the spice mix. Wrap the lid in a tea-towel and cover the pan. Cook for 4-5 minutes on high, then reduce the heat to low and cook for about 15mins. Heap onto a serving plate ,the bottom should have formed a nice golden crust, mix with the rice and garnish with the remaining carrot mix, and flaked almonds. Serve with fish Koresh, and yoghurt, flat bread and a drizzle of hosef. (optional) 

For the Hosef

Boil the sugar, water and cinnamon. Add the barberries and cook for 5 minutes. Take off the heat remove the cinnamon and add the lime juice and rosewater and chill. Serve cold, sprinkled onto Persian rice dishes.