Dried Barberry Berries

These little fruits are very useful to have around in your cupboard. You can sprinkle them onto a dish of rice or couscous and it will give it a nice color as well as a tart taste. Dried barberry berries keep better than the fresh variety. And they are also easier to find. All you have to do is to soak or fry them a little and they will release their amazing flavor.

Iranian people use barberries in their cooking. However, you are more likely to find them in Persian restaurants. This makes them seem very exotic, but you can find them all over the place. They grow in Europe, Asia, north America and the Middle East. English people make jams out of these little berries.

Dried Barberry Berries

Persian people use these berries in lots of their traditional cuisine. One of their more prominent dishes with barberries is served at weddings. The sour taste is a symbol of the fact that life is not always sweet. However, you must learn to take the good with the bad. The good news is that you do not have to be Persian to enjoy dried barberry berries.

To enjoy them and make the most of their taste, you need to rehydrate them a little. Soak them in some cold water for 10 minutes, then drain them. Put them in a pan and sauté them gently in some oil and a splash of water. After a few minutes, they will begin to swell. Now you can use them in your cooking. These berries go extremely well with chopped almonds, rice and cooked onions. Throw in a sprinkle or coriander and you have a true delight!

Dried barberries also go well with a chicken salad with lemon and mayonnaise. Here is another great idea! Crush the dry berries and mix them with coarse salt, then rub them onto chicken, pork or lamb before grilling. During Christmas, these make a stunning combination with mincemeat and orange zest.

All in all, dried barberry berries make an incredible addition to your dishes. Feel free to experiment with your cooking and use them to add some flavor to it.