While it may officially be the start of spring today, it’s still very much stew weather in the Northeast and I’m not complaining. Pots simmering slowly on the stove for hours provide me with the extra warmth and enveloping aroma I’m craving. It’s also Nowruz today (Persian New Year) with millions all over the world feasting on deliciously fragrant dishes that have always been among my favorites.
In honor of this spring celebration, I decided to make Fesenjan from my trusty Persian cookbook The Saffron Tales. This traditional Persian stew has always been a highlight for me, with tender chicken slow-cooked in a pomegranate and walnut sauce.
Fesenjan is often made for special occasions but it is in fact really simple to put together and only requires a few ingredients. The star of the show is no doubt the large amount of walnuts (the fresher the better) which form the base of the rich sauce. If like me you’re trying to increase your intake of this super healthy nut this is the recipe for you! To get started, simply grind 2.5 cups of walnuts to a paste-like consistency in a food processor.
Now the slow cooking begins: place the walnut paste in a large casserole, add water (4 cups) and simmer for about an hour, stirring occasionally, before adding one more cup of water and letting it simmer for another hour. As you progress you’ll notice the smell becoming increasingly pleasing, a real nutty aroma, and the color of your mixture darkening. The sauce should get pretty thick and after the two hours you’ll add the other star ingredient – pomegranate molasses – and a few other savory & sweet supporters (tomato paste, cinnamon, sugar). You can already tell (and smell) this is an intensely flavorful stew.
Time to add the chicken thighs and continue to cook slowly, covered, for about 45 minutes. The chicken will be fall-of-the-bone tender by then and the walnut sauce a chocolatey color. You can adjust the sauce to your taste at this point, adding more pomegranate molasses for extra tang or more sugar if you like it sweeter.
Serve over white rice to soak up all that delicious sauce and a side salad to cut through the richness. Raw radishes are also a traditional accompaniment. Lastly, sprinkle some pomegranate seeds on top which will not only taste refreshing and add some crunchy texture, they’ll also do much to add some color to all that brown on your plate!
A sumptuous dish it really is and so intensely flavored you’ll see a little goes a long way. All those walnuts are quite filling so it’s a great meal to stretch over a few days with minimal prep.
Happy Spring!
2. Add the remaining cup of water, give the sauce a good stir, then stick the lid back on and leave to simmer for another hour. If the sauce starts looking dry, add some more cold water. You are aiming for a thick, porridge-like consistency.
3. The sauce should now have thickened and darkened in color. Add the pomegranate molasses, tomato puree, cinnamon, sugar, salt and pepper, and golpar (if using) and stir well. Add the chicken pieces, place the lid on the pot, and continue to cook over a low heat for 45 minutes, until the chicken is cooked and the sauce is a glossy, dark chocolate color.
4. Taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust to your preference: to make it a bit sweeter add more sugar, or pomegranate molasses to make it sourer. Cook for a final 10 minutes with the lid off so the sauce thickens around the meat. Sprinkle with a handful of pomegranate seeds before serving.
5 cups cold water
6 tablespoons pomegranate molasses
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon golpar (optional)
1 3/4 lb chicken thighs, bone-in, skinless
A handful of pomegranate seeds, to garnish
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