Zeresh Polow, the name sounds exotic as it rolls off your tongue. The story behind it is just as intriguing. This quintessentially Iranian dish combines marinated meat, rice, and tangy berries, in a single bite. It was nicknamed ‘jewelled rice’ thanks to the fact that the zeresh (Iranian for red barberries), are sprinkled atop the dish giving it a gem-like appearance. It’s gleaming garnishing and finger-licking-good taste, made it a must-have at celebrations and events.

But how did this dish cross over to India? The Zoroastrians of Iran — not to be mistaken for the Parsis who had fled the region centuries earlier — sought refuge against religious persecution and migrated to India along with their spices and berries. Legend has it that over decades, the recipe was lost, largely due to unavailability of ingredients, until Ballard Estate’s Irani café, Britannia & Co owner Boman Kohinoor’s wife, Bacha revived it in Mumbai. We set out on a taste trail of the Zeresh Polow’s Indianised version, Berry Pulao