Barberry is the small, tart red berry of the Berberis shrub, most often Berberis vulgaris, used as a fruity, acidic seasoning rather than eaten out of hand. It should not be confused with barberry root or bark, which are used in traditional herbal preparations but are not culinary ingredients.
Barberry is a staple of Persian cuisine (zereshk), most famously in zereshk polo - barberries simmered in a sweet-and-sour sauce and served over saffron rice. It also appears in Middle Eastern and North African cooking (tagines, couscous, salads), South Asian cooking (chutneys, curries, rice dishes), and Central Asian cooking (jams and preserves).
The berries have a tart, sour flavor with a hint of bitterness from organic acids like malic and citric acid, and pair well with rich, sweet, or fatty ingredients - honey, dried fruit, nuts, meat, and dairy - as well as with warm spices such as saffron, cinnamon, cumin, and cardamom.