Melt the butter in a deep pan over medium high heat. Cook the meat in the butter, about 7 to 8 minutes, until most of the juices have come out. Set the cooked meat aside.

Add the onions to the pan and sprinkle them with a pinch of salt. Fry for 10 minutes or until they’re nice and soft. Reduce the heat to medium low. Arrange the onions in an even layer, then gently add the meat back in in an even layer on top of the onions.

Slowly add the warm water, trying not to disturb the layers. Reduce the heat to low and cook for about 1 hour, or until the meat is nice and tender. Check it occasionally and if the water gets low, just add a little more.

Add the salt to a medium sized bowl of water and stir. Add the rice and let it soak for 30 minutes. Put the currants in a bowl and cover them with water and let them also soak for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain the rice and rinse it several times, until the water runs clear. Set the rice aside. Drain the currants and mix them with the pistachios. Add the spices and stir until the currants and pistachios are evenly coated in spice.

When the meat is cooked, sprinkle the currant and pistachio mixture evenly over the meat. Sprinkle the rice over the currants and pistachios to create yet another even layer. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt.

Carefully add the 3 cups (700 ml) of cool water, cover the pan, and cook over medium heat for 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook for another 10 minutes.

After the rice has cooked for a total of 20 minutes, lift the lid off the pan just to make sure that the rice has absorbed all of the water. If it’s watery, let it cook for a few more minutes until all of the water is absorbed.

If it’s ready, turn off the heat, take off the lid, and put a cloth or a double layer of paper towel over the dish, then cover again with the lid. Make sure the lid is on tight. Let it rest for 20 to 30 minutes.

After the pilaf has rested, take off the lid and towel. Invert a serving plate over the pan. Put on some oven mitts and hold the plate while you quickly and carefully flip the pan over.