Fesenjan

Fesenjan is one of Iran's most prized festive stews: chicken simmered in a velvety sauce of ground walnuts and tart pomegranate molasses.

TIME BREAKDOWN
Prep: 30 min
Cook: 2h 30m
Total: 3 hours
Vegetarian
❌
Nuts
✅
Serves
6 people
Difficulty
Medium

Ingredients

  • 300g walnut halves
  • 8 bone-in chicken thighs (about 1.2kg), skin removed
  • 2 onions, finely chopped
  • 3 tbsp sunflower oil
  • ½ tsp ground turmeric
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • 700ml water
  • 150-200ml pomegranate molasses
  • 1-2 tbsp caster sugar, to taste
  • ¼ tsp saffron threads, ground and steeped in 2 tbsp hot water
  • Salt and black pepper

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan). Toast the walnuts on a tray for 8-10 minutes until fragrant but not dark. Cool, then grind in a food processor to a fine, crumbly meal, stopping before they turn to paste.

  2. Heat the oil in a wide, heavy casserole and fry the onions for 12 minutes until golden. Stir in the turmeric, add the chicken and brown lightly for 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

  3. Add the ground walnuts, cinnamon and water. Bring to a gentle simmer, partly cover and cook on the lowest heat for 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes so the walnuts do not catch on the base.

  4. Stir in 150ml pomegranate molasses and 1 tbsp sugar and simmer for a further 45 minutes until the sauce is dark brown, thick and glossy, and the walnut oil rises to the surface.

  5. Taste and adjust, adding more molasses for sourness or sugar for sweetness. Stir in the saffron water and rest for 10 minutes. Serve with chelo.