This recipe at The Mediterranean Dish by Persian-British recipe developer Mersedeh Prewer is for a traditional Persian stew, with fall-off-the-bone tender chicken cooked in a rich, sweet and sour pomegranate molasses and walnut sauce. Mersedeh was born and raised in the United Kingdom, where she still lives. She is passionate about all cuisines but her writing primarily focuses on Middle Eastern and Mediterranean cuisine. She is a contributor to both The Kitchn and Simply Recipes. Finish this recipe with a sprinkle of fresh pomegranate seeds and serve over rice or bulgur pilaf.
“The use of pomegranate and walnuts in Persian cuisine goes back to the Sassanid period (224 to 651 AD), where they were used to flavor and thicken stews. It is believed that Khoresh-e Fesenjoon evolved from these earlier stews and became popular in the northern regions of Iran, where the climate is more suitable for growing pomegranates and walnuts.”
“My family eats fesenjan (fesenjoon) on the night of the Winter Solstice or Shabe Yaldā as we call it. Taking place on the longest night of the year, Yaldā translated from Persian to English means ‘birth,’ which ultimately underpins the essence of this festival,” says Suzy Karadsheh, creator of The Mediterranean Dish. “The festival dates to ancient times when a majority of Persians were followers of Zoroastrianism. From its Zoroastrian roots, Shab-e Yaldā celebrates the renewal of the sun and the victory of light over darkness — the winter solstice marking the lengthening of days, shortening of nights and the advancement towards spring. Pomegranates are a symbol of this festival so fesenjan is a perfect stew to cook on this special occasion.”
“Fesenjan is a stew made with chicken simmered in a pomegranate molasses and walnut sauce. This isn’t something you’d throw together on a Tuesday night after work. It requires time for the flavors to meld in a memorable way. Save this recipe for a Saturday or Sunday afternoon when you can take your time and enjoy the process.”
“The recipe combines two super foods whose nutritional benefits have come to light in recent years — pomegranates and walnuts. The flavor is like no other, it is tangy with a hint of sweet. The walnuts add a nutty taste to make the flavors come together in a rich sauce. Fesenjan originates from Gilan province in northern Iran — a beautiful, lush area near where pomegranate and walnut trees grow in abundance. In fact, due to this abundance of walnuts and pomegranates several dishes from Gilan use the fruit and nut combination. It is used in recipes for Kal Kabab, an eggplant, garlic, walnut and pomegranate molasses dip, and Kabab Torsh, chicken or lamb kebabs coated in a walnut and pomegranate paste before cooking over charcoal.”
“When we serve this dish at our family functions everyone gathers around the table waiting to spoon this incredible stew onto their plates. There is nothing quite like the combination of meltingly tender chicken, nutty, earthy walnuts and sweet and sour pomegranate molasses. Don’t be intimidated by this recipe, it is actually remarkably easy to produce this famous dish. All you need is time and patience — and hopefully a good food processor for the walnuts.”
