Human rights campaigner-turned-food-writer Yasmin Khan is on a mission to change perceptions of Iran - and she's starting in the kitchen. Here is one of the recipes from her new cookbook, The Saffron Tales, to try.

INGREDIENTS
(Serves 4)

Sunflower oil
2 medium onions, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
8 chicken thighs, on the bone, skin off
200ml good-quality chicken stock
1tsp turmeric
1/8tsp ground cinnamon
Sea salt and black pepper
1/2tsp saffron strands
A pinch of sugar
2tbsp freshly boiled water
800g spinach
Juice of 1 lime
Juice of 1 orange
Pared zest of 1/2 orange, sliced into thin strips
150g prunes
11/2tbsp flaked almonds, to garnish

METHOD

Heat three tablespoons of oil in a large casserole pot and fry the onions over a low heat for 25 minutes, until they are soft and beginning to caramelise.

Add the garlic and fry for another two minutes.

Turn up the heat and add the chicken. Cook for a few minutes to brown the chicken on all sides. Lower the heat, then add the stock, turmeric, cinnamon, a teaspoon of salt and half a teaspoon of black pepper. Cover with a lid and cook for 35 minutes.

Meanwhile, make a saffron liquid by grinding the saffron strands with a pinch of sugar using a pestle and mortar and then adding the boiled water. Leave to steep.

In a large pot or wok, cook the spinach over a high heat until it has wilted and then place in a colander to drain. You'll probably have to do this in a few batches, unless you have an extremely large pot. Let the spinach cool and then squeeze it dry with your hands. Roughly chop and set aside.

After the chicken has been cooking for 35 minutes, add the chopped spinach and the lime and orange juice, along with the orange zest and saffron liquid. Place a lid on the pot and leave to simmer for 10 minutes.

Fry the prunes in one tablespoon of oil until they just start to plump up and caramelise. Add them to the stew and cook for a final five minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning, adding more salt and pepper to your preference.

Toast some flaked almonds in a small pan over a low heat for one minute, until they start to go a golden brown colour. Sprinkle the toasted nuts onto the stew just before serving.

The Saffron Tales by Yasmin Khan is published in hardback by Bloomsbury, priced £26. Available now