Making Fesenjoon

Total Time: 90 minutes

Link: Recipe for Persian spice mix

Ingredients:

• 2 cups walnuts
• 1 Tbsp oil
• 1/2 medium onion
• 1 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (bones included)
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp Persian spice mix or standard allspice
• 2 tsp salt
• water
• 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses
• 1 tsp tomato paste (heaping)
• pomegranate seeds for garnish (optional)

Steps:

1. Chop the walnuts as finely as possible, preferably in a food processor. Set aside.

 
2. Finely chop the onion.

 
Advertisement


3. Add oil to a pan over medium heat and fry the onions until lightly browned.

 
4. Remove all the skin and fat from the chicken pieces.

 
5. Add the chicken pieces, turmeric, allspice, and salt to the onions.

 
6. Add enough water to cover everything in the pot, bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cook for at least 20 minutes, until chicken is tender.

 
Advertisement


7. In a nonstick pan over medium-low heat, toast the walnuts for a few minutes, until lightly browned. Do not use any oil for this.

 
8. Add the pomegranate molasses and tomato paste to the walnuts, cook for a couple minutes while stirring.

 
9. In a large pot, add the walnut mixture and just the broth you made from the chicken.

 
10. Bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer on low. Cover and cook for one hour.

 
Advertisement


11. Return the chicken pieces to the pot and cook for an additional 5 to 10 minutes, covered.

 
12. Because walnuts are high in oil content, you can spoon the layer of oil out from the top and save it for other cooking purposes or salad dressings.

 
13. Sprinkle with pomegranate seeds, if desired, and serve with Basmati rice.