Guide to Barberries: How to Use Barberries in Your Cooking

Barberries are long red berries that grow on barberry shrubs, which have branches covered in yellow flowers. Known as zereshk in Iran, barberries have long been part of traditional medicine. The small berries contain the alkaloid berberine, which can cause adverse effects in large amounts.

There are about 500 plants in the Berberidaceae family, all of which produce tart, edible berries. Some of the most common barberry plants include:

1. 1. European barberry (Berberis vulgaris) is the most common barberry variety and the one you'll find in Middle Eastern cuisine.
2. 2. Japanese barberry (Berberis thunbergii) is most commonly planted as an ornamental.
3. 3. American barberry (Berberis canadensis) is native to North America.
4. 4. Oregon grape (Mahonia aquifolium), also known as the holly grape, is native to the Pacific Northwest.

European barberries have a tart flavor, similar to cranberries, while barberries from North America are sweeter. European barberries typically aren't eaten raw without some kind of flavoring, since they can be intensely sour. When cooked or dried, the mellowed sourness of barberries complements everything from meat dishes to granola.

Zereshk polo might be the most famous food to feature barberries. The Persian rice pilaf features chicken on a bed of saffron rice studded with tiny dried barberries. The barberries' small size makes them ideal for tossing into rice dishes or North African couscous. Barberries are also the perfect addition to chicken salad. In India, dried barberries are used in desserts, and in Russia, barberry extract is a flavoring for candies and drinks. In Europe and North America, barberries are traditionally used to make jams and jellies.

You can typically find dried barberries at Middle Eastern grocery stores, but in a pinch, you can substitute them for another tart, dried fruit. Dried cranberries, apricots, sour cherries, goji berries, mulberries, and currants can all stand in for barberries. For fresh barberries, substitute pomegranate seeds or blueberries.

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