Tachin Ba Morgh (Saffron Yogurt “Cake” With Chicken)

Preparation

1. For the candied barberries

   Step 1

   Add the barberries to a medium bowl and cover with cold water. Soak for at least 10 minutes if they are very fresh, and up to 25 minutes if older. Strain, gently shaking, allowing for a bit of excess moisture to cling to the barberries.

   Step 2

   Warm a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Add the olive oil, quickly followed by the barberries, and lower the temperature to medium. Give the pan a shake, add 2 tablespoons of the sugar, gently stir once to incorporate, and turn off the heat.

   Step 3

   Scatter the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar across the barberries and set aside to rest. Just before ready to use, mix to incorporate all of the sugar. Candied barberries can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

2. For the tachin

   Step 4

   Four to 6 hours in advance, or the night before making this recipe, place the yogurt in large mixing bowl, sprinkle the saffron over the top, and stir gently. Place the bowl, uncovered, in the refrigerator to allow the saffron to bloom. Stir occasionally to combine.

   Step 5

   Prepare the chicken: Generously season the chicken with salt and pepper and set aside. Add the onions and 4 tablespoons olive oil to a large, heavy- bottomed pot with a tight-fitting lid and sauté over medium heat, adding more oil if needed, so that the onions turn golden, their edges darken, and they soften, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the turmeric and a bit more oil and stir, allowing the turmeric to bloom and release its fragrance, about 1 minute more. Add the chicken and cook for a few minutes to coat the chicken with the onion and turmeric mixture.

   Step 6

   Pour ½ cup (120 ml) water over the chicken, raise the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Continue to boil for 5 minutes, then lower the heat to low and cover the pot with the lid. Simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. After 30 minutes, the chicken should be cooked through, and the cooking liquid should have reduced and slightly thickened.

   Step 7

   While the chicken is cooking, prepare the rice. Add 5 quarts (4.7 liters) water and the salt to an 8-quart nonstick pot set over high heat and bring to a boil. Add the rinsed rice, give it a stir so that it doesn’t stick, and parboil for about 3 to 4 minutes. The rice should remain a bit crunchy because it will continue to cook in the oven. Drain the rice in a large colander and rinse quickly with cold water to stop the cooking process. Shake the colander to remove excess water and set aside to cool for a bit before you mix with the cold yogurt in step 7.

   Step 8

   Remove the chicken from the pot, reserve the cooking liquid, and when the chicken is cool enough to handle, break it into smaller chunks, discarding the bones. In a large bowl, combine the chicken chunks with the reserved cooking liquid, the cinnamon, and soaked barberries and set aside.

   Step 9

   Set a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 450°F.

   Step 10

   Remove the saffron yogurt mixture from the refrigerator and season with the salt and lemon juice, tasting and adjusting as needed. Add the egg yolks and stir well to thoroughly combine. In a large mixing bowl, gently combine the parboiled rice and saffron yogurt mixture until the rice is well coated.

   Step 11

   Coat the bottom of a deep 11 x 13-inch casserole dish with the extra-virgin olive oil. Using a large spoon, place half of the rice mixture into the baking dish to form an even layer that reaches about halfway up the dish. Gently place the chicken mixture over the rice (do not press the chicken chunks into the rice), leaving a ½-inch border around the edges. Lightly spread the remaining rice mixture across the chicken.

   Step 12

   To bake, cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 30 minutes. Then lower the heat to 350°F and bake for 45 minutes, rotating the dish halfway through the baking. Starting with a very high temperature and then lowering it allows the rice to quickly bind with the yogurt, which creates the fabulous crust on the bottom.

   Step 13

   Remove the dish from the oven, uncover, and allow to rest on a cooling rack for 10 minutes. After the “cake” has rested, place a serving platter on top of the casserole dish and, carefully, invert the “cake” onto the platter to showcase the sunset-orange crispy top. Garnish with the candied barberries and cut into wedges to serve.