Shirin polo

Step 1: Put 3 orange peel in a small pan of cold water, bring to the boil and drain. Repeat twice more with fresh water. Taste a strip: it should be pleasantly bitter, not harsh.

Step 2: Fry 2 carrots in 1 tablespoon of 1 tbsp sunflower oil over a medium heat for 4–5 minutes, until softened and bright orange.

Step 3: Add the peel, 3 ½ oz sugar and 150 ml water and simmer over a medium-low heat for 10 minutes, until the peel turns translucent and the syrup is thick enough to coat a spoon. A common mistake is boiling the syrup hard; it caramelises and the peel turns chewy and brown.

Step 4: Stir in 1 ¾ oz slivered almonds, half of ⅔ oz pistachios, ½ tsp ground cardamom and 1 tbsp rosewater. Take off the heat.

Step 5: Boil 2.5 litres of water with 3 tbsp salt. Drain the 16 oz basmati rice, add it and boil for 5–6 minutes until the grains bend but are firm in the middle. Drain and rinse with lukewarm water.

Step 6: Heat the rest of 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a heavy non-stick pot over a medium heat. Add a thin layer of rice, then layer the rest with spoonfuls of the orange mixture (keep a third for the top), mounding it loosely.

Step 7: Poke 5 holes to the base, drizzle with half of ⅔ oz butter and 3 tablespoons of water, cover with a towel-wrapped lid and cook on medium-high for 8 minutes until it sizzles.

Step 8: Turn to the lowest heat and steam for 35–40 minutes, until the rice is fluffy and smells of orange and cardamom.

Step 9: Toss a few spoonfuls of rice with ½ tsp saffron threads and the rest of ⅔ oz butter. Spoon the rice onto a platter, top with the saffron rice, the reserved orange mixture and the rest of ⅔ oz pistachios, and serve the crust on the side.