Persian chicken in saffron, turmeric and tomato sauce

Make saffron extract again, about twice as much as for the rice.

Pull the skin off 1 kg chicken legs.

Optional, for a cleaner sauce: cover the chicken with water in a large pot, bring to a simmer over medium heat and simmer 5 minutes; lift out the chicken when foamy scum forms.

Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy bottomed pan over medium-high; fry the chicken 3 to 5 minutes per side until golden all over, leaving browned bits in the pan; remove.

Saute the diced onion about 5 minutes until soft; add a minced garlic clove if using and cook a minute.

Add 50 g tomato paste, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp ground turmeric; mix and cook about 60 seconds.

Add about half a cup of water, working it in to a thick sauce and stirring to deglaze the brown bits; then add a cup of hot water to thin it.

Bring to a simmer over medium heat, return the chicken upside down with the liquid most of the way up it (add water if needed), and cook about 15 minutes.

Flip and cook about 15 minutes more, spooning the sauce over repeatedly for a saucy glaze. Serve with the zereshk polo.