Persian rice

1. Place the rice in a bowl.
2. Add at least twice the volume of cold water to rice. Stir and drain.
3. Repeat 2 to 3 times to remove as much starch as possible, then soak the rice in cold water for about 15 to 20 minutes.
4. Rinse and drain.
5. Place the rice, water and salt in a saucepan.
6. Bring to a boil, covered, over medium heat.
7. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low.
8. Stir in the orange zest, dried fruits, yogurt and saffron.
9. Cover and cook for 10 minutes.
10. Turn off the heat and let stand for at least 5 minutes.
11. Add the pistachios and parsley. Mix well.
12. Serve immediately.

Note:

This rice goes very well with lamb stew.