Fesenjan
خورش فسنجانWalnuts and pomegranate, slow-cooked to a dark gloss
- Serves
- 6
- Preparation
- 15 min
- Cooking
- 2 hr 30 min
- Course
- Stews
- For
- For guests, Shab-e Yalda
- Diet
- Gluten-free
Fesenjan is a stew of finely ground walnuts and pomegranate molasses, cooked slowly until the walnuts release their oil and the sauce turns a deep brown. It is most often made with chicken, though duck and small meatballs are also traditional.
It is a dish for guests and for the colder months, when pomegranates are in season. How sweet or sour to make it is a matter of family and regional taste; in the north of Iran it is commonly made sharper.
Ingredients
Serves 6
To garnish
Method
Tips from the kitchen
- Pomegranate molasses varies a great deal between brands; some are sweetened. Look for one listing only pomegranate, and taste before adding the full amount.
- Stir from the bottom regularly: the walnut sauce sticks and scorches easily.
- For a vegetarian version, use roasted butternut squash or aubergine in place of the chicken and add it for the last 20 minutes.
