Fesenjan
Chicken in walnut and pomegranate sauce · خورش فسنجان
- 15 min Prep
- 2 h 30 min Cook
- 6 Servings
- Medium
A festive stew of chicken braised in toasted ground walnuts and pomegranate molasses until dark, glossy and sweet-sour.
Fesenjan is the stew of celebrations, from Yalda night to weddings. Its sauce is almost nothing but walnuts and pomegranate molasses, cooked slowly until the walnuts release their oil and the sauce turns a deep chocolate brown.
Every family argues about the balance: northern Iran (Gilan) likes it sour, Tehran a little sweeter. Taste as you go and adjust with sugar or more molasses. Chicken thighs are the most common choice today; duck and small meatballs are traditional too.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Toast the walnuts in a dry pot over medium-low heat for 5 minutes, stirring, until fragrant. Cool, then grind to a fine, slightly oily meal in a food processor.
- Return the ground walnuts to the pot over low heat and stir for 10 minutes; they should darken a shade and smell toasty. Do not let them scorch.
- Add the water, bring to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook on very low heat for 1 hour, stirring every 10 minutes so nothing sticks. The walnuts will release their oil and the sauce will darken.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a frying pan. Fry the onion until golden, add the turmeric, then brown the chicken pieces lightly on both sides.
- Stir the pomegranate molasses, salt and cinnamon into the walnut sauce. Add the chicken and onion, cover, and simmer on low for 45 minutes to 1 hour until the chicken is tender.
- Taste and balance: add sugar a teaspoon at a time for sweeter, more molasses for sourer. The sauce should be thick enough to coat a spoon, with a sheen of walnut oil on top; add a splash of water if it gets too thick.
- Serve over chelow, scattered with pomegranate seeds if you have them.
Tips & variations
- Pomegranate molasses varies a lot between brands. Start with three-quarters of the amount and add more after tasting.
- A stew that looks pale needs more time, not more ingredients. The colour comes from slow cooking the walnuts.
- Fesenjan keeps 4 days in the fridge and freezes well; it thickens as it stands, so loosen it with hot water when reheating.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my fesenjan not dark?
The walnuts were not cooked long enough. Keep simmering on very low heat, stirring often; the sauce darkens as the walnut oil separates. A teaspoon of cocoa is a modern shortcut some cooks use.
Can fesenjan be made vegetarian?
Yes. Replace the chicken with roasted butternut squash or eggplant, added for the last 20 minutes.
Where to buy the ingredients
Persian grocers carry the saffron, dried herbs, spices and long-grain rice that Persian cooking depends on:
Rather eat out?
Persian restaurants that serve it:
Ghormeh Sabzi
Khoresh Bademjan
Chelow with Tahdig