How to cook Fesenjoon stew? also known as Khoresht-e Fesenjan

Fesenjoon stew, also known as Khoresht-e Fesenjan, is a traditional Persian dish that is both savory and sweet. The stew is made with pomegranate molasses and ground walnuts, which create a rich and flavorful sauce. The chicken or meat used in the dish is usually cooked until it's tender and falls apart easily. In this blog post, we'll be walking you through the steps to prepare Fesenjoon stew at home.

Ingredients:

- 2 lbs chicken thighs, bone-in and skinless

- 2 cups ground walnuts

- 2 cups pomegranate molasses

- 1 large onion, diced

- 1 tsp turmeric powder

- 1 tsp cinnamon powder

- 1 tsp salt

- 1/2 tsp black pepper

- 1/2 cup vegetable oil

- 2 cups water

- 1 tbsp sugar (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and roast them in the oven for 10-15 minutes until they are lightly toasted. Stir occasionally to make sure they roast evenly.

2. Heat up the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the diced onion and cook until they are soft and translucent, for about 5-7 minutes. 

3. Add the chicken thighs to the pot and sauté for about 10 minutes until the chicken is golden brown on all sides.

4. Add turmeric, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper to the pot and stir well to coat the chicken evenly.

5. Pour the pomegranate molasses over the chicken and add the water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and let it simmer for about 45 minutes.

6. Add the roasted walnuts to the pot and stir them into the stew. Let the stew simmer for an additional 30-45 minutes until the chicken is very tender and falls apart easily.

7. Taste the stew and adjust the seasoning as needed. If you prefer a sweeter taste, you can add sugar at this point.

8. Serve the Fesenjoon stew hot, garnished with additional walnuts if desired.

Tips:

- You can use beef or lamb instead of chicken if you prefer. The cooking time will be longer for these meats, so adjust accordingly.

- If the stew is too thick, you can add more water to thin it out.

- If the stew is too thin, you can simmer it for longer to reduce the liquid and thicken it up.

- Pomegranate molasses can be found in Middle Eastern markets or online. If you can't find it, you can make it at home by reducing pomegranate juice until it becomes thick and syrupy.