The day/night before: Peel and salt the eggplants, and let them sit for a while to dehydrate. Then slice them lengthwise into ½ inch slices and pan-fry in olive oil. Set aside.

Put a pinch of saffron into a shot glass and cover with hot (not boiling) water to 'dahm' the saffron.

In a large pan, gently simmer the chicken thighs for about 1 hour with the sliced onions, cinnamon sticks, a small pinch of saffron, salt, pepper, and just enough water to barely cover the tops of the thighs. Once the chicken is done cooking, remove it and set it aside to cool, but save the cooking water!

While the chicken is cooling, make a marinade by stirring together 2 egg yolks, about a cup of the yogurt, a pinch of saffron, several spoonfuls of oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl.

Once the chicken is cooled, remove the bones and place the thighs in the marinade, ensuring they are well-coated. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge to let sit overnight.

The day of: Soak the rice in a large pot of salt water for approximately 1 hour. Pour off any 'sar-eh' from the rice before straining it.

Bring a large pot of water to boil. Add the rice to the boiling water, and cook for several minutes, or until it’s soft. Strain the cooked rice, and run it under cool water before letting it cool completely.

Get a large, clear casserole dish and prepare the 'bed' of the dish: in the bottom of it, stir together 3 egg yolks, 2 spoonfuls of yogurt, the saffron water mix, salt, pepper, and several spoonfuls of oil. Spread it evenly around to cover the bottom.

Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line the bottom and sides of the casserole with a layer of rice, pressing it down as you go.

Squeeze the chicken thighs to remove the excess marinade from them, and place them evenly over the rice. Layer on the slices of fried eggplant.

Sprinkle a layer of zereshk or dried cranberries over the eggplant, then finish with another layer of the rice.

Using the leftover chicken water from the day before, thin out the marinade so that it’s loose enough to pour. Pour it along the edges of the dish.

Cover the entire dish with aluminum foil and bake on the middle rack of the oven for 2-3 hours.

Remove the casserole from the oven and let it rest about 5 minutes. Then carefully place a large platter over the casserole and flip the casserole over so the tachin inverts onto the platter. Cut into pieces and serve!