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You are here: Home / Kitchen Chronicles / Bittersweet Barberries

Bittersweet Barberries

May 3, 2016 by Alison 6 Comments

Barberry_2009_08_31_BlackleachResr_025p7Zereshk is the Persian name for barberries and that’s what they’ll always be known as to me. As I write this post, I do so bittersweetly. Just as the tartness of these tiny berries are sweetened slightly with sugar, so too are my thoughts as these berries evoke fond memories from my childhood. Barberries bring some nostalgia to me, times cherished with a family who opened their hearts as they welcomed me into their home and their kitchen.

I was in ninth grade, obsessed with barberries and dreaming in farsi. My friend’s mother, a magnificent woman with skin like porcelain and with a demeanor as sweet as honey, introduced me to flavors which settled into my palate as deeply as my friendship with this family. It was the taste of her meals and charm of her kitchen which made sleepovers and suppers such a significant part of my childhood.

IMG_4063If any meal stands out most it’s Zereshk Polow. It’s a simple slow cooked basmati rice pilaf accented with lightly buttered barberries. It’s often served with a slow cooked chicken seasoned with saffron and other warm spices such as cinnamon, allspice, cumin and Tumeric. There’s no flavor which resembles this delectable dish and I’ve been tasting it in my thoughts for decades.  The picture below is a traditional method of cooking rice cooked atop potatoes. It is incredible! (I should hit pause to provide a simple explanation of barberries, a plant which produces edible berries, mostly

IMG_4064used in middle eastern cuisine, specifically Iran. They have an intense sour flavor which beg to be slightly sweetened with sugar before serving. They come dried and need to be soaked first before cooking.)

I am thrilled to share with you Kamala, an online Persian grocery store, which I have to thank for bringing barberries into my kitchen and it does so with a storm. When I received a text that my ingredients had arrived, it was as if I had won the lottery. I couldn’t wait to get home and recreate these fond flavors for my family. After burning the first batch of berries, I was a bit worried that my memories would have to be just that, burnt in the past. But after a second try, I managed to make a meal which impressed my family and didn’t disappoint me. I’m thrilled to report that they loved it! Thus I have a new meal for the rotation, one that incorporates my past with my present and closing the distance between the times I treasure from so long ago.

I adored my friend’s mom (and still do) as she has demonstrated the power of food in connecting people and cultures. Then it might have been mostly my taste buds which responded to her cooking, but now I know it was much more than that.

Just as I took liberties with traditional empanadas, I will be concocting new recipes with barberries. Forgive me if I’ll be using these delectable delights in less traditional ways. I’ve created a lentil, basmati rice and Zereshk dish which I’m sharing with you but plan to use these sour berries in muffins, scones, cookies and breads.

Basmati Barberry Lentils
Print Recipe
This hearty dish can be served as a vegetarian meal in itself or as a side dish with any kind of meat. The Middle Eastern spices provide a warmth to the dish that contrasts exceptionally well with the tartness of the berries.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Basmati Barberry Lentils
Print Recipe
This hearty dish can be served as a vegetarian meal in itself or as a side dish with any kind of meat. The Middle Eastern spices provide a warmth to the dish that contrasts exceptionally well with the tartness of the berries.
Servings Prep Time
4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Servings Prep Time
4 people 30 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Ingredients
  • 4 tbs olive oil
  • 3/4 cup shallots chopped
  • 1 cup french lentils cooked
  • 1 cup basmati rice cooked
  • 4 tbs barberries soaked and sautéed in butter with 1 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 lemon juiced
  • 1/4 tsp Turmeric
  • 1/4 tsp Allspice
  • 1/4 tsp Cumin
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt kosher or sea salt
  • 2 tbs cilantro chopped finely
  • 1 tbs butter
Servings: people
Instructions
  1. Cook basmati rice according to directions. If using dried french lentils, cook according to package instructions.
  2. In a large bowl, combine warm lentils and rice.
  3. Saute the shallots in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for about five minutes. Add to the rice and lentils.
  4. Melt the butter in a small sauce pan and stir in the sugar and barberries. Remove from heat.
  5. In a small bowl, mix the turmeric, cinnamon, cumin, salt and allspice with 2 tablespoons olive oil and lemon juice.
  6. Combine the spice mix, cilantro and berries with the rice and lentils. Serve at roo m temperature.

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Filed Under: Kitchen Chronicles, Main Dishes Tagged With: barberries, dinner, food, friends, Persian, recipe, Zereshk, Zereshk Polow

Previous Post: « Basmati Barberry Lentils
Next Post: Barberry Orange Scones »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Suz says

    May 3, 2016 at 1:21 pm

    This sounds SO FABULOUS:Y DELICIOUS!!!!! Wow! Thanks for all your inspiration!

    Reply
  2. Suz says

    May 3, 2016 at 1:24 pm

    This sounds SO INCREDIBLY DELICIOUS!!! Thanks for your continuing inspiring recipes and blogs!!! What a wonderful family to have as part of your growing up!

    Reply
    • Suzy says

      May 3, 2016 at 2:53 pm

      Had this dish for lunch today…so delicious! Will definitely make again.

      Reply
  3. Ian says

    May 4, 2016 at 10:59 am

    Will have to give this recipe a try, looks and sounds amazing! thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  4. rosie says

    July 29, 2016 at 8:40 am

    love this, thought the barberries were pomegranate for a minute, perhaps i will also try a version with pomegranate!

    Reply
    • Alison says

      July 29, 2016 at 10:20 pm

      I think pomegranates would go very nicely with the blend of spices in this dish. If you try it, let us know what you think!

      Reply

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About Alison J. Bermack

It all began when I was a child cooking with my dad, the kitchen a magnet for cooking and camaraderie, a refuge from adolescence. I spent countless hours chopping, sautéing and simmering my way through childhood. And now, with three kids of my own, I’m still chopping, but this time through their childhood and often with friends.

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