Khoresh-e fesenjān or fesenjoon is one of the most exquisite Persian stews (khoresh) with delicious sweet and sour flavors of pomegranate and walnut.
Persian cuisine
Persian cuisine is very rich but there is one ingredient that is essential to this cuisine: rice. Indeed, Persians cannot conceive serving their kebabs and stews with something other than rice. This rice called polo is available in several versions such as sabzi polo (with herbs), albaloo polo (with sour cherries), baghali polo (with fava beans and dill) or zereshk polo (with sour berries from the berberis vulgaris) to name only a few variations.
What is the origin of fesenjan?
Fesenjan (also called fesenjoon or khoresh-e fesenjan) is originally from the province of Gilan, bordering the Caspian Sea.
This region is known for its wild ducks. In fact, the original fesenjan recipe is cooked with duck. Duck was eventually replaced by chicken. It is usually prepared with chicken legs or wings (with bones). This dish can also be prepared in a vegetarian version and some also cook it with lamb, ground beef or fish.
This dish is typically prepared during the fall season when pomegranates mature. This is also a traditional dish of Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year as pomegranate is one of the new fruits that are eaten during this holiday.
According to the original recipe, this dish is cooked with fresh pomegranate juice. However, nowadays, Persian chefs cook fesenjoon with pomegranate syrup or molasses, which is generally available in Persian or Middle Eastern markets.
Khoresh-e fesenjan is one of many khoresh in Iranian cuisine. Khoresh (which translates to “meal” in Farsi), is actually a generic term that defines many stews in Persian cuisine. One of the most famous is khoresh ghormeh sabzi, a beef stew with herbs, red beans and dried lemons (called limu omani).
Pomegranate
Fesenjoon is a very unique dish. Indeed, even if sweet and sour is very common in Mediterranean cuisine, as illustrated by the use of dates in Moroccan dafina, pomegranate gives here a very tart taste that is not found in Moroccan dishes.
Walnut
This is the walnut that gives the dish its smoothness and richness. Persians often say that fesenjoon is better the next day because the sauce has time to thicken and concentrate the flavors.
Khoresh-e Fesenjān
Ingredients
- 8 chicken drumsticks (with bones)
- 1 onion , finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- 4 cups walnuts
- 1 cup pomegranate molasses
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon cardamom seeds (optional)
- A few pomegranate seeds (to garnish)
Equipment
- Food processor
Instructions
- Sprinkle the chicken pieces with salt, pepper and turmeric. Sauté them in a pan over medium to high heat with a little oil until browned on all sides.
- Remove chicken. Add a little more oil and fry the onions for a few minutes until they are translucent.
- Put the chicken pieces back in the pan. Add 2 cups (500 ml) of water (or chicken broth). Bring to a boil. Cover the pan and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toast the walnuts on a pan (with no oil) for a few minutes. It is also possible to toast them on a baking sheet in the oven at 350 F (180˚C) for 8 to 10 minutes.
- Wait for a few minutes until the walnuts are warm and grind them in a food processor to obtain a powder.
- Add this walnut powder, the pomegranate molasses, sugar and cardamom seeds to the chicken.
- Cover and simmer over very low heat for 1 hour. Make sure to stir every 20 minutes to ensure that the walnuts do not stick to the bottom.
- Adjust the taste with salt and sugar before serving.
- Serve with white Persian rice (polo) and pomegranate seeds to garnish.
Video
Mike is “the devil” of the 196 flavors’ duo. Nicknamed as such by his friends, he is constantly in search of unusual recipes and techniques with impossible to find ingredients. The devil is always pushing the envelope, whether it is with humor or culinary surprises.
Zipporah says
The well cooked fesenjun is darker than yours.
And the time of cooking is so important, couse it allows the Walnut’s oil come out
Mike Benayoun says
Totally agree Zipporah. I intend to remake it at some point, as this attempt definitely needed a little more cooking 😉
Ryan says
I get that this is meant to be tart but it was so unbearably tart when I made it (not this recipe) it was inedible. Does the quality of pomegranate molasses vary much? I find it impossible to believe it is meant to taste that sour.
Mike Benayoun says
Hey Ryan, yes, it is supposed to be tart, but this dish is not easy to master. It is definitely a balance between sweetness and sour, with the fat and nuttiness brought by the walnuts. You can always adjust according to your taste, but when it is made properly, and it simmers for a long time, then this dish is exquisite. Good luck!
Behjat Ardalan Ligon says
First of all, this khoresht is not one of the most popular khoreshts even in Iran, and unless you know how to make it, you may not like it. Thick pomegranate molasses is the key to making a good fesenjoon. If by any chance you got the watery, pomegranate juice, and did not cook it down and added sugar to it, your dish would be inedible. It should be a mixture of sweet and sour, and thick.
parvin says
Only an uneducated person starts the comment with the sentence “first of all”, so typical of you. second of all, this food is one of the most favorites food, that is why great chefs add it to wedding food. I haven’t lived in Iran for almost 50 years yet it is a food that I make when I want to impress my guests and their pallet. looks like you don’t have a pallet for good food.
Chloe says
I would make this recipe everyday if I could.