Barberry holds a special place in Iranian cuisine and is highly popular. One of the Iranian dishes that uses barberry is "Zereshk Polo ba Morgh" (barberry rice with chicken), which is renowned and barberry is one of its main ingredients. Barberry has a cool nature, and when mixed with saffron and pistachios in Iranian dishes, it balances its coolness.
Iranians use barberry alongside saffron to beautify and decorate their rice. To have both sour and sweet flavors in barberries, they mix them with sugar and sauté them.
In Iran, barberry is also used to make jams, which are delicious and highly popular. "Aab Zereshk" (barberry juice) is one of the most popular sour juices that has been popular since ancient times. Additionally, barberries are used to make a popular type of fruit leather called "Lavashak," which is consumed in cold seasons as a substitute for fresh fruit.
One of the expensive fruits in Iran is a type of seedless black barberry known as "Zereshk-e Siah Bedoone Daneh" or "Kermanshahi Barberry." This black barberry, which is a rare variety of this plant, is highly priced and is hard to find in some herbal shops. Kermanshahi people mainly use this type of barberry to cook a local dish called "Khoresht-e Khalal."
Iran is the largest producer of barberry in the world, and among the provinces, South Khorasan has approximately 97% of the cultivated land for this product, producing 95% of the world's barberry.
Wild barberry is used in Iran to treat a range of diseases, from digestive problems to liver issues. Barberry contains a unique compound called berberine, which fights against bacteria and viruses. Barberry is rich in various B-group vitamins, which are essential for overall health. A serving of barberry is packed with antioxidants that combat free radicals and reduce the risk of premature aging. In traditional Iranian medicine, barberry is used for liver and gallbladder cleansing purposes.
Barberry extract has beneficial effects on the cardiovascular and nervous systems. Studies have shown that barberry is rich in antioxidants, which help prevent various types of cancer.
Apart from culinary and medicinal uses, barberry has other applications as well. It is used in traditional dyeing to color fibers such as wool, silk, and cotton.