Persian Jewelled Rice: A Simple Recipe with Barberries and Walnuts

Persian jewelled rice, or javaher polo, gets its name from the scatter of colour through the rice: dark red barberries, golden strands of orange peel, and pale gold walnuts or pistachios. It's a dish built for entertaining – it looks far more complicated than it actually is, and most of the work is just measuring and layering. This guide walks through a simple version using dried barberries and walnuts, both easy to keep in the store cupboard.

What you'll need

The base is plain basmati rice, cooked so the grains stay separate rather than turning stodgy. On top goes a mixture of:

• Dried barberries (zereshk) – small, tart, dark red berries used throughout Persian cooking. They're soaked briefly in cold water before use to soften them and rinse off any grit, then given a very short pan-fry in a little butter or oil with a spoonful of sugar to take the edge off their sharpness.
• Walnuts, roughly chopped – they add bite and a mellow, buttery flavour that contrasts with the sharpness of the barberries. Pistachios or flaked almonds work as a substitute or addition if you want more colour variation.
• A pinch of saffron, if you have it, dissolved in a tablespoon of hot water and stirred through some of the cooked rice for colour and aroma. It's optional – the dish still works without it.
• Strips of orange zest, blanched briefly to soften and remove bitterness (traditional recipes sometimes use bitter orange peel, but ordinary orange zest is a reasonable stand-in).

Our dried barberries and walnut halves are both sold in resealable pack sizes, so you can pick a quantity that suits a single batch of this dish rather than committing to a large bag if you're trying it for the first time.

Method

Rinse the basmati rice a few times until the water runs mostly clear, then soak it in salted water for 20–30 minutes. Parboil it for a few minutes in plenty of water until the grains are just soft on the outside but still firm in the centre, then drain.

Layer the rice into a pot with a little oil or butter on the base, cover, and steam gently over low heat for around 30–40 minutes until fully cooked and the base has formed a light crust, known as tahdig.

While the rice steams, soak the barberries in cold water for 10 minutes, then drain and pat dry. Warm a little butter in a small pan, add the barberries and a spoonful of sugar, and stir over gentle heat for a minute or two – just enough to soften them slightly without burning, as they scorch quickly. Toast the chopped walnuts separately in a dry pan for a couple of minutes until fragrant.

To serve, spoon the rice onto a platter, scatter over the barberries, walnuts, orange zest and saffron rice, and serve warm alongside a main dish. It's commonly served with roast chicken or lamb, but it also stands on its own as a side for a vegetable stew or a simple grain salad.

Storage and make-ahead notes

The barberry and walnut topping can be prepared a day ahead and kept in the fridge in a sealed container, then brought to room temperature before serving. Dried barberries themselves keep well for months in a cool, dark cupboard in a sealed bag or jar, so it's worth keeping a pack in stock if this is a dish you make regularly. Walnuts are best kept in an airtight container away from heat, as their oils mean they can turn stale faster than drier ingredients once opened.

Variations worth trying

Once you're comfortable with the basic method, there's plenty of room to adapt it: swap walnuts for pistachios or a mix of both, add a handful of sultanas alongside the barberries for extra sweetness, or fold some of the fried onion typically used in tahdig through the rice itself for added flavour and texture. The dish is forgiving – the ratios above are a starting point rather than a fixed rule.