Gilani-style Fesenjan
Photo by سمیه
- Serves
- 4
- Prep Time
- 20 Minutes
- Cook Time
- 2 Hours 20 Minutes
you're looking for a delicious and traditional Iranian dish that everyone will fall in love with, Fesenjan stew is the perfect choice. Made with chicken, walnuts, and pomegranate paste, this dish has a unique flavor that truly wins hearts. It takes a bit of time to prepare, but once its rich aroma fills your home, you'll know it was totally worth it. With this easy recipe, you can make a flavorful and well-cooked Fesenjan that will leave everyone amazed!
To prepare Fesenjan stew:
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Sauté chopped onions, then add turmeric and ground walnuts. After a few minutes, pour in some water and bring it to a boil. Add pomegranate paste and a bit of tomato paste. Add the fried chicken and some saffron, then let it simmer for about an hour. Serve the stew with rice.
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Ingredients
- 4 handful pieces of chicken (breast or thigh
- 300 gram grams of ground walnuts
- 2 handful tablespoons pomegranate molasses
- 1 handful large onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoon 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoon tablespoons brewed saffron
- 1 Cooking oil, as needed
- 2 teaspoon Turmeric, to taste
- 1 teaspoon Salt and black pepper, to taste
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Directions
- Step 1
Preparing the Chicken To start, remove any excess skin from the chicken pieces, then wash them and set them aside to drain. Sprinkle salt, black pepper, and any other spices you prefer over the chicken to season it.
- Step 2
Preparing the Onion You can place the seasoned chicken in a covered container in the fridge until it’s time to fry them. Meanwhile, finely chop the onion and sauté it in a bit of oil in the pot you’re using for the stew until it becomes soft and translucent
- Step 3
Adding Turmeric and Walnuts Add a bit of turmeric to the onion and continue sautéing until the turmeric is fully absorbed. Then, grind the walnuts in a blender until they’re finely ground. Add the ground walnuts to the pot and sauté for about one minute.
- Step 4
Adding Water A key point here is not to over-toast the walnuts, as this can burn them and negatively affect the stew’s flavor. After sautéing the walnuts briefly, add 6 to 7 cups of water to the pot and cover it with a lid.
- Step 5
Adding Pomegranate Paste After the walnuts have released their oil, add the pomegranate paste. If you prefer the traditional sour flavor of the Gilan-style dish, use more sour pomegranate paste. At this stage, you can also add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste for a more orange
- Step 6
Adding Pomegranate Paste After the walnuts have released their oil, add the pomegranate paste. If you prefer the traditional sour flavor of the Gilan-style dish, use more sour pomegranate paste. At this stage, you can also add 1 tablespoon of tomato paste for a more orange hue.
- Step 7
Frying the Chicken Tomato paste gives the stew a more vibrant color. After about 3 hours, once the stew is well-oiled, remove the chicken from the fridge and fry it in plenty of oil until golden brown.
- Step 8
Adding Chicken and Saffron Add the fried chicken pieces to the stew along with brewed saffron. If you like your stew slightly sweet and tangy (a balanced “melas” flavor), you can add some sugar at this point.
- Step 9
Letting the Stew Settle Let the stew simmer gently for another 1 to 1.5 hours until it fully thickens and settles. Patience is the key to a rich and delicious Fesenjan.
- Step 10
Serving the Stew Fesenjan, like other Persian stews such as celery stew or Ghormeh Sabzi, is typically served thick with little liquid. Wait until the stew releases its oil, then serve it in your desired dish alongside steamed Persian rice or "kateh" (simple Persian rice).