Shirin Polo

I tore this recipe out of a magazine, but the magazine name is missing. If I find out where it is from, I'll gladly attribute it to them later.

Ingredients:
Skin from one orange (preferably organic), cut into thin strips
1/2 cup butter
3 carrots, cut into thin sticks
1 cup whole blanched almonds
3/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon saffron threads
1/4 cup chopped unsalted pistachios
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 onions, thinly sliced
3 lb. chicken breasts, cut into 6-8 pieces
5 cups water
Salt & pepper
4 cups hot cooked rice

Peel the orange skin in long strips, do not include the pith. Slice into thin strips. Place the orange zest in a small saucepan. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat, rinse under cold water and drain.

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Add the carrots and cook for 10 minutes or until the carrots are tender. Place 1 or 2 tablespoons of the sugar and the saffron in a mortal and pestle. Crush together into an orange powder. Dissolve the saffron powder in a glass with 2 tablespoons very hot water. Add the orange zest, almonds, sugar and saffron to the carrots. Cover and cook over low heat for 20 minutes. Add the pistachios and cook 5 minutes longer.

Peel and thinly slice onions. Fry in oil until slightly golden. Remove onions and drain on paper towel. Add chicken to the same pan and brown on both sides. Remove the chicken and pour off the fat and return the chicken to the pan.

Season the chicken with salt; arrange the onions on top; pour the water over and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover and reduce the heat and simmer for 20 - 30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked and tender. Remove the chicken and onions to a dish. Save 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. Let chicken cool.

Layer 1/2 chicken pieces over the bottom layer of rice, then layer 1/2 of the orange carrot mix. Add another layer of 1/3 rice, then layer rest of chicken and orange carrot mix. Cover with remaining rice. Pour the reserved chicken juice over the rice. Place a kitchen towel over the top of pot to prevent steam from escaping. Place pot in a 350 degree oven for 30-40 minutes. Serve hot.