Saffron rice with barberries, pistachio & mixed herbs

This dish is inspired by shirin polo, a celebration rice dish of the Iranian Jewish community. The original includes candied orange peel, sour cherries, cranberries and almonds and is often served at weddings. We use barberries, an Iranian mainstay, to give a sweet and sour effect but our rice is by no means very sweet. You could easily add cranberries, sliced dried apricots, or even chopped dates if you want to emphasize the sweetness. This would be very much in line with the sensibilities