Fesenjan
Persia's royal stew — duck or chicken slowly braised in a sauce made from ground walnuts and pomegranate molasses until the sauce is thick, dark, tangy and rich with a bittersweet complexity unrivalled in world cuisine.
- Total
- 50 min
- Serves
- 4
- Level
- Medium
Prep 20 min · Cook 30 min
Ingredients
Method
Brown chicken in oil over medium-high heat until golden on all sides. Remove. In the same pan, sauté onion for 10 minutes until golden. Add turmeric and cinnamon; stir 1 minute.
About 5 min
Return chicken. Add stock and ground walnuts. Stir to combine. The sauce will be very thick initially. Bring to a simmer.
About 11 min
Add pomegranate molasses and saffron water. Stir. The sauce turns a dark, rich brown.
About 11 min
Cover and simmer on very low heat for 60–75 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. The walnuts release their oil and the sauce becomes unctuous and thick. Add a splash of stock if too thick.
About 11 min
Taste and balance: add sugar if too tart, more pomegranate if not tangy enough. Season with salt and pepper. The final sauce should be very dark, thick and bittersweet.
About 11 min
Serve over saffron basmati rice. Garnish generously with fresh pomegranate seeds and a few walnut pieces.
About 3 min
Nutrition per serving (estimate)
- Calories
- 680
- Protein
- 42 g
- Carbs
- 24 g
- Fat
- 48 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 14 g
- Sodium
- 560 mg
Contains: nuts
You might also cook
Recipe by Boon Tools.