Albaloo polo

Step 1: Put 1 ⅛ lb pitted sour cherries, fresh or frozen and 5 ½ oz sugar in a pan over a medium heat. Simmer for 15 minutes until the juice turns syrupy and coats a spoon. Strain, keeping the cherries and the syrup separately.

Step 2: Mix 14 oz chicken or lamb mince, 1 small onion, ½ tsp ground turmeric, 1 tsp salt and ½ tsp black pepper and roll into balls the size of a hazelnut. Wet hands stop them sticking.

Step 3: Fry the meatballs in 3 tbsp sunflower oil over a medium-high heat for 8–10 minutes, shaking the pan, until browned and cooked through (165°F for chicken, 160°F for lamb). Stir in the drained cherries and 3 tbsp of the syrup.

Step 4: Bring 10 ½ cups water to a rolling boil with 2 tbsp salt, add the drained 14 oz basmati rice and boil for 6–7 minutes until the grains are al dente. Drain.

Step 5: Heat 4 tbsp sunflower oil and 3 tbsp water in the wiped-out pot. Layer rice and the cherry-meatball mixture, finishing with rice in a mound. Poke a few holes to the bottom.

Step 6: Wrap the lid in a tea towel, cover tightly and cook over a medium heat for 10 minutes, then over a low heat for 35 minutes, until the rice is tender and a crust has formed.

Step 7: Drizzle ¼ tsp ground saffron and 3 tbsp cherry syrup over the top, mix lightly with a fork and pile onto a platter. Scatter with 2 tbsp slivered pistachios and serve the rest of the syrup at the table.