Barberries give the Persian rice dish zereshk polo its characteristic tart flavor.
Zereshk polo is made from steamed rice topped or mixed with zereshk, the Persian name for dried barberries. The berries are usually lightly cooked with sugar and butter or oil before being spooned over the rice.
The dish is often served with saffron and chicken, although regional and household versions differ. Its contrast of fluffy rice, bright red berries, saffron, and savory meat makes it a familiar celebratory dish in Iran.
Barberries are not the same as dried limes, which are used to sour stews such as ghormeh sabzi. Nor are they interchangeable with sumac, another tart ingredient common in Iranian and Middle Eastern cooking.