Zereshk Polo (Rice with barberries)

Ingredients:
3 cups basmatti rice
1 1/2 cups zereshk
2 tbsp sugar
1 good pinch of saffron (smash saffron with a pinch of sugar and add 2 tablespoons hot water to dissolve it)
2 tbsp butter or oil (I like to use butter in this recipe)

Instructions: 
Cook rice until semi-soft (el dente). 
Pick over the zereshk and remove any steams or stones you may find.  Then soak in water for about 5-10 minutes.
In a skillet melt 1 tablespoon of  butter (or warm the oil) then add zereshk. Add sugar and give it a nice stir so that the zereshk is coated with butter and sugar.  It will start to plump up.   Add saffron water and let the zereshk absorb the liquid for about one minute. Turn off heat.
Add oil to the bottom of your pan, and place one layer of rice. Sprinkle a little salt on each layer.
Then, add some zereshk, and layer rice with zereshk.  
Repeat layers until the last layer is rice - reserve a little zereshk for later to decorate the top of your rice before serving it.
Cover and cook on high for 10 minutes, then reduce to medium for 45 minutes - 1 hour.
Serve rice in a platter and top with the reserved zereshk.

Serve with chicken.