Saffron yoghurt rice cake with chicken (Tahchin)

1. Rinse the rice, soak for 1 hour, then par-boil in plenty of salted boiling water for 6-7 minutes (soft outside, still firm inside) and drain.

2. Cook the chicken breast with the quartered onion, salt and pepper in a little water for 20 minutes, cool and shred into thin strips.

3. Grind the saffron to a powder and steep in 3 tbsp hot water, then mix with the yoghurt, egg yolks and salt; fold two thirds of the rice into this mixture.

4. Generously butter a deep ovenproof dish, line the bottom evenly with the yoghurt rice, add the chicken, cover with the remaining yoghurt rice and the plain rice and drizzle melted butter over the top.

5. Cover with foil and bake in a 190 °C oven on the lowest shelf for 1 hour 15 minutes until the bottom forms a thick golden crust; rest for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a platter.

6. Toss the barberries in a little butter with the sugar for 1 minute and scatter over the rice cake; serve with yoghurt and salad.

Tip: Tahchin is the showpiece rice cake of the Persian festive table: a crisp golden crust outside, creamy saffron rice inside. Baking it in a glass dish lets you see when the bottom has browned nicely. You can use dried cranberries instead of barberries.