Rinse 2 cups of basmati rice under cold water until it runs clear, removing excess starch.

Soak the rinsed rice in a bowl of water for at least 30 minutes.

In a large pot, bring 4 cups of filtered water and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil.

Drain the soaked rice and add it to the boiling water.

Boil the rice for 6-8 minutes until it's al dente, then drain and rinse with warm water.

Return the drained rice to the pot with 2 tablespoons of melted butter or ghee and drizzle with saffron water.

In a separate pan, lightly toast ½ cup slivered almonds and ½ cup chopped pistachios until golden. Set aside.

In the same pan, warm ½ cup dried barberries with 1 tablespoon sugar to tone down their tartness.

Add ½ cup thinly sliced dried apricots and ½ cup golden raisins. Sprinkle with 1 teaspoon orange zest, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon cardamom, stirring until everything is plump and fragrant.

Layer half the rice in a serving dish and add half the fruit and nut mixture. Repeat the layers, ending with a drizzle of saffron water.

Cover and let the flavors meld together.