Persian Sour Cherry Saffron Rice

serves 4-6
Recipe from Jaden Hair

This is a golden rice dish dancing with the intoxicating flavors of saffron, tart cherries and drizzled with a sweet, dark, sticky cherry syrup.

Read more about this recipe at Jaden's Steamy Kitchen.

instructions

1. Wash and soak the basmati rice in water for 2 hours. (This step is not totally necessary, but it does produce a more tender rice.)

2. Drain the rice. Fill a large pot with water and boil. Add the rice and boil on medium heat for 8 minutes. Drain the rice, rinse with cool water and drain again.

3. In the same pot over high heat, add half of the butter. When it's hot, add half of the drained rice. Pour half of the saffron and its soaking water over the rice and stir. Add half of the drained cherries and the remaining rice.

4. Pour in the rest of the saffron and its soaking water. Add remaining butter and stir. Add the remaining drained cherries. Wrap the pot lid with a thin kitchen towel and cover the pot. Cook on high for 10 minutes. Turn heat down to super-low for 20 minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.

5. While rice is cooking, cook reserved cherry syrup plus 1 cup sugar over medium heat for 30 minutes until it reduces down to a sweet, sticky consistency. Set aside.

6. When the rice is done, drizzle 1/2 cup of the syrup over the rice.