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Food styling by Michael Elliott/Judy Inc. Prop styling by Rodney Smith/Judy Inc.Andrew Grinton/The Globe and Mail

More of a rice pilaf, this savoury riff on holiday pudding (and the Persian tachin) pairs beautifully with any saucy Middle Eastern or Mediterranean dish. Dried barberries are a staple of Iranian cooking and have a sweet but tart flavour.

Servings: 8 to 12

Ready Time: 2 hours plus soaking time

Pudding

1 3/4 cups basmati rice

Salt

1/2 cup dried cherries

1/2 cup dried apricots, quartered

3/4 cup gewurztraminer or sweet white wine

5 tbsp butter

1/4 cup pistachios

1/2 cup toasted almonds

Pinch saffron

1/2 cup yogurt

3 egg yolks

1/4 cup stock or water

Garnish

1/4 cup barberries

2 tbsp sugar

1/4 cup gewurztraminer or water

1/4 cup pistachios

Yogurt

Fresh herbs

Method

In a large mixing bowl, soak the rice covered in cold salted water for 1 hour or overnight.

In a separate bowl, soak the cherries and apricots in wine for 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 375 F. Use 1 tbsp butter to grease a 7 cup heatproof bowl.

Drain both the rice and the dried fruit. Combine the fruit with the pistachios and almonds.

In a small bowl, mix the saffron with 2 tbsp hot water, set aside to infuse for at least 20 minutes. In a medium sized mixing bowl combine the yogurt and egg yolks.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, cooking the drained rice until al dente (4 to 7 minutes depending on how long you soaked the rice). Melt the remaining butter. Drain and lightly rinse the rice under cold water and mix with the melted butter.

Mix the saffron and its liquid with the yogurt and yolks. Mix in half of the parboiled rice. Combine the remaining rice with the fruit and nuts.

To build a pilaf with a white centre and golden exterior, place two thirds of the saffron rice in the buttered heatproof bowl, building up the sides. Begin adding the white rice with fruit and nuts to the centre of the bowl, pushing down gently as you go. The saffron rice should rise up the sides of the bowl as you go. When all your white rice is used up pour stock or water over the white rice before spreading the remaining saffron rice on top.

Cover the bowl with a heatproof lid or two layers of aluminum foil. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes until the rice is lightly golden. Carefully remove from the oven and, when cool enough to handle, invert onto a serving dish.

To create the garnish, heat barberries, sugar and wine in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, dissolving the sugar and cook 1 minute before removing from the heat and allowing to cool. Sprinkle over pilaf with pistachios and serve with yogurt and fresh leafy herbs.

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