As one of the most popular and well-known Persian foods, Fesenjoon as a lot to offer in terms of its sweet, sour, and savoury tastes intermixed with a flavours of turmeric, cinnamon, and saffron. The combination produces an exciting dance of flavours.

As a traditional recipe, there are as many variants as there are people who have made Fesenjoon, but what follows is a well-tested recipe adjusted to my own tastes. Principles of modifications are noted below to help you get started on the infinite ways this recipe can be modified.

Ingredients

Serving: 3

• 7 Chicken thighs
• 300g walnuts
• 1 cup Pomegranate paste
• 1 cup granulated white sugar
• 4 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon saffron (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Substitutions

• saffron and cinnamon are optional

Equipment

• Large pot
• Coffee grinder or food processor
• over toaster or pan (optional)

Time

• Attended prep time: 30 minutes
• Unattended prep time: 0
• Attended cook time: 30 minutes
• Unattended cook time: 3 hours

Preparation

1. toast the walnuts until aromatic but not burnt, about 5-7 minutes in 350F oven toaster or over pan.
2. Let cool and grind walnut with coffee grinder or food processor until has a paste-like texture.

Instructions

1. On medium heat, add oil and turmeric until oil is yellow in color and turmeric is aromatic.
2. Add walnut to the mix and stir for 2 minutes until well-mixed.
3. Wash chicken thighs and drumsticks well, add to the mix.
4. Add water and pomegranate paste, put the lid on the pot and let boil.
5. Reduce heat to low and let simmer.
6. Add sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
7. Let simmer for 3 hours or until a layer of oil forms on top.
8. Once well-cooked, a layer of oil separated from a dark mixture underneath should be visible. The chicken thigs and drumsticks should fall apart easily.
9. Turn off the heat and add saffron, mix well. Adding saffron at this stage helps preserve the aroma.

Modifications

• The taste can be modified by adjusting the amount and proportion of pomegranate paste (sour) and sugar (sweet). For a more sour taste, increase pomegranate paste.
• The viscosity can be modified by changing the amount of water and walnut. Some recipes call for no water, but I've found some water helps ingredients flow and increases the predictability of cooking time and final texture.
• To prevent the chicken from falling apart, don't add chicken to the mixture. Instead, let the walnut, water, cinnamon, sugar, salt mix cook for 10 minutes until it's almost at desired consistency, then light sear the chicken and add to the mix, then let simmer for 1-2 hours. This is purely for presentation and does not change the taste.

Serve

Fesenjoon is traditionally served with rice and an assortment of sides including yogurt and pickled vegetables.