Zereshk Shireen Pulao

Ingredients
3 cups Basmati rice (washed and soaked in water)
2.5 kgs carrots, julienned
saffron water (approximately 1/2 tsp saffron soaked in 2-3 tsps ice)
4 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup zereshk (burberries)
3/4 cup olive oil
salt to taste

Method
Sauté carrots (julienne) in olive oil with a little sugar (as sweet as you would like).
Let the water dry, then add saffron (best way is to refrigerate saffron).
Put a peach in a tiny bowl and cover with 2-3 cubes of ice. As ice melts the water gets the saffron flavour and colour.
Parboil the rice, do not overcook.
Layer your casserole with a little olive oil at the bottom, then a layer of rice, then a layer of the carrots and finally another layer of rice on top.
Pour a good amount of olive oil all over the rice and pour the saffron water, too.
Put on the gas on high flame for a few minutes until the steam rises, then lower the flame and cook for 15-20 minutes on a very low flame but with an
airtight lid.
Serve in a platter with the rice spread out and place the carrots on top.
Just before serving, sauté the burberries (zereshk) in olive oil, not too hot, making sure the berries do not burn.
It is optional to add to the berries, pistachio and almonds finely sliced.
Pour the sautéed berry mixture on top of the carrots and serve.