Sea bass with saffron, orange, walnuts & sour cherry with herbed pilaf sabzi polo

The first stage of cooking the rice is to parboil it. Drain the rinsed rice and place in a medium, heavy-based nonstick pan. Cover well with water and add a large pinch of salt. Bring to the boil, stir once, then cook for 5 minutes, or until al dente. Drain in a colander, then run under cold water to completely cool and stop it from cooking further. Set aside.

Start the herb mixture (sabzi) using the same pan. Melt 2 tbsp butter over a medium heat, then add the leeks and salad onions and gently sweat for 4-5 minutes until softened. Fold through the chopped herbs, then remove from the pan to a bowl and set aside.

For the second stage of cooking the rice, wipe out the pan, then melt the remaining butter over a low to medium heat. Add the yogurt and 1 tsp of the bloomed saffron water, mixing well. Spread this mixture to cover the whole base of the pan. Carefully spoon in the parboiled rice, layering it with the herb mixture and drizzling teaspoons of saffron water in stages, creating different levels of rice, herbs and saffron.

4 Once the prepared ingredients have been layered into the pan, use the back of a wooden spoon to dot holes around, poking down to the bottom of the pan (this will allow steam to rise). Turn up the heat, cooking for 1 minute until steam begins to rise. Place a lid on top and reduce the heat to low. Leave to cook gently for 1 hour.

While the rice cooks, prepare the fish. Preheat the oven to 200°C, gas mark 6. Add the oil and butter to a nonstick frying pan and place over a medium-low heat. Add the shallots and garlic and fry gently for 4-5 minutes, until softened. Add the turmeric, all but a few drops of the bloomed saffron, the orange zest and juice. Remove from the heat and fold through the tamarind paste, walnuts and sour cherries.

Line a large baking tray with parchment. Place 1 sea bass fillet, skin-side down, at one end, season, then spoon on ½ the mixture from the pan. Place a second fillet on top, skin-side up, and repeat for the remaining fillets. Brush any excess saffron oil and butter in the pan over the top of the fish skin, then finish with a drizzle of olive oil. Tuck a few orange slices here and there, if liked. Bake in the oven for 12-15 minutes, until the fish is opaque, cooked through and flakes easily with a fork.

To finish the rice, remove from the heat and lightly shake the pan to feel the rice crust separate from the side of the pan. Remove the lid from the pan and place a plate upside down, using kitchen cloth. Flip the pan of rice over, turning the tah-dig (crisp bottom) out in all its glory. Garnish with the crispy onions and rose petals, then finish the fish by scattering over the pomegranate seeds and herbs.