Iranian Chicken with Barberry Rice
As seen on TV
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Iranian Chicken with Barberry Rice, Kashk-e Bademjan and Flatbreads
On the show: one of Big Zoo's childhood favorites. Iranian chicken seasoned with turmeric, cumin, cardamom and saffron, with barberry rice, kashk-e bademjan (a smoky, yogurty eggplant dip with garlic, onion and mint) and flatbreads on the side.
Big Zoo: "This dish is from my friend Ali, one of my best friends growing up. His mum used to make this for us for lunch."
Grace Dent: "What makes chicken Iranian?"
Big Zoo: "Iranian chicken is just covered in Iranian spices and flavors. You've got the saffron element in there, and then the rice is filled with these lovely berries as well. The barberries, which is quite different. People don't normally use that in rice, but they do, and it's beautiful. Adds a little balance to the dish."
Max Fosh: "Iranian chicken, kashk-e bademjan... I don't know what half these words mean. There's so many things here I don't understand."
Max Fosh: "I've never cooked chicken thighs before. I normally just cook the breast or do a whole chicken."
Max Fosh: "These are called barberries, going in here. This is again something I've never cooked before, never seen before. So it's going to be fun."
Max Fosh: "Now we need the old spices. Cumin, cardamom. This is probably going to end in disaster."
Max Fosh: "I've had a bit of bluster in this kitchen, but now I really don't know what I'm doing."
Max Fosh (on the spices): "They said, like, 1 teaspoon, 2 teaspoons. I was just like, yeah, here we go. Hey, we'll see. It's a lottery in this life, isn't it?"
Max Fosh: "Chicken is in. Oh no, there's brown on the bottom of the pan. I don't think it's meant to look like that."
Max Fosh: "Never made any sort of flatbread before. Let's see how this does. Oh, that does not look good at all. Why are the barberries black? Everything I touch turns to carbon."
Max Fosh: "It does not smell good. It doesn't look good. I think I'm going to have to make a personal apology to Zoo."
Max presented the dish with a letter, read out by Big Zoo: "Dear Mr. Zoo, I'm sorry for what I did to your recipe. Best, Max."
Max Fosh (after judging): "Not as bad as I was expecting. I don't know what the Iranian is for gobsmacked, but that's what I was."
During the cook: Big Zoo (on the spices): "You can't put too much, because it might overpower it."
Big Zoo: "He told us straight away he just threw all the spices in. If it's too overpowering, it will just take over the entire dish and you won't have any harmony."
Big Zoo (on the chicken): "Can't be overcooked, can't be dry. Need to get it just right."
Giorgio Locatelli: "I definitely think that this dish is going to put Max out of his comfort zone."
At the tasting: Big Zoo: "It's been served like we're at a buffet, and you're trying to maximize the plate. There's not a lot of elegance."
Giorgio Locatelli: "The chicken has overcooked a little bit, and in some areas it is a bit burnt. I like the spicing. It could have done with a little bit more salt for me."
Grace Dent: "Your rice is fluffy. I think it's nicely seasoned. Nice buttery, ghee flavors."
Big Zoo: "The lack of barberries in your rice. Why is there only one? Is it because you burnt them?" (Max: "Yeah.")
Big Zoo: "Chicken, I feel like you went a bit heavy on the saffron, but it does have the flavors of Iranian chicken. The kashk-e bademjan, honestly, it tastes good to me."
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