Fesenjan

Ingredients

Quantities for 6 servings.

• 1.5 kg Duck or chicken, in pieces
• 500 g Walnuts
• 200 ml Pomegranate molasses
• 2 piece Onions
• 2 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tsp Turmeric
• 0.5 tsp Cinnamon
• 1 pinch Saffron
• 60 ml Vegetable oil
• 500 g Basmati rice, to serve
• 100 g Pomegranate seeds, to serve
• to taste Salt and pepper

Method

1. Toast the walnuts in a dry pan for five minutes, cool them and grind them almost to a paste.
2. Fry the onion until golden, add the turmeric and the meat and brown it all over.
3. Lift out the meat, add the walnut paste to the pot and pour in a litre of hot water.
4. Cook the sauce an hour on a low heat, stirring every ten minutes; it darkens and starts releasing oil.
5. Add the pomegranate molasses, cinnamon, sugar and saffron and return the meat to the pot.
6. Stew an hour more, until the sauce turns dark brown and thick and oil shows at the edges.
7. Taste and adjust the balance of sour and sweet, and serve with rice and pomegranate seeds.