In today’s post, we’re going to explore one of my very favorite Persian recipes, Fessenjoon. This version of Fessenjoon is a tangy, nutty, deeply concentrated pomegranate sauce cooked with ground walnuts and then with chicken. The stew is served over Basmati rice, with the classic Persian crusty, buttery, saffron “tahdig,” which you can check out as well.
I had personally never tried Persian food before my 20’s when I met my now husband. I could not believe what I had been missing all my life. Persian food became one of my favorite foods in the world, which worked out great, as we did get married. : ) If you’ve never tried it, you’re in for a treat.
This recipe was shared with me by my mother in law, who we call Mamani, and is shared with her permission. Whenever I ask Mamani why her food is so delicious, she says it’s because she cooks it with love. And I fully believe that to be true. Mamani, and this recipe, are very special to me, and I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do.
To begin the fessenjoon sauce, start with 1 onion, chopped, 2 minced cloves of garlic, 6 cups of walnuts and 1/2 cup of pomegranate paste. A note on pomegranate paste: There are a number of versions of pomegranate paste, also called pomegranate molasses. I’d advise to look for one that has little to no added sugar to maintain the tangy flavor of the pomegranate. If all you can find is a sweet version of the paste, you can add additional lemon to this recipe to balance out the sweetness at the end. You can also make the paste at at home by cooking down pomegranate juice with lemon juice like in this recipe from Healthy Nibbles. I’d personally just use caution with adding sugar, as you can always add that at the end if you want a sweeter version of this recipe.
Grind the walnuts in a food processor. Stop when they turn a coarse grainy texture and before they turn into a paste, like peanut butter.
Saute the onions and garlic for a few minutes until aromatic, and then add the walnuts. Stir these over the heat for a few minutes, and then add half the pomegranate paste.
Mix in a few cups of cold water, mix well, and allow this to simmer. The paste will begin to turn the mixture a deep violet/brown color. You will continue adding pomegranate paste until your fessenjoon turns the color below. The color will deepen as the stew continues cooking.
At any point during the simmering process, add 2 teaspoons turmeric and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Continue simmering for 2 hours to cook the walnuts. Check the stew throughout the simmering process to stir frequently and add cold water as needed so that the bottom doesn’t burn. The water will eventually cook off, so it doesn’t matter how much water is in the pot during the simmering process.
Once 2 hours have passed. You’ll add 4 chicken breasts cut into 1-2 inch pieces. After the chicken, add a pinch of saffron, the juice of one lemon, a spoonful of tomato paste, a teaspoon of salt and some ground black pepper to season. Allow this to simmer for another hour, again adding water as needed so that the stew doesn’t get too dry. The smaller chunks of chicken here allow the flavor to get into more of the meat. Mix periodically.
The end result should be tangy and flavorful, which is the version our family loves best. If you prefer a sweeter version, add a spoonful of sugar, and increase the sweetness to your liking. Serve over Basmati rice, and enjoy!! Yummmm!! (Check out how to make tahdig-this crispy, crusty, buttery, saffron rice….)
This is one of our most favorite dish. You have done a great job. The stew looks so yummy.
Thanks Khale Noushin!!! It was so fun to make this recipe myself!! Next we are moving onto making better tahdig!