How do you know when it’s true love? Like, in the old fashioned sense, the way the old black & white westerns depict it. One kiss and it’s over – Someone’s gittin’ hitched. Sometimes the combination is good, like pomegranates and walnuts, a match made in a heavenly dish called Fesenjan. Drop the chicken and make it vegan. Go Paleo! Drop the brown sugar for honey and serve with a fresh salad instead of rice. There’s plenty of protein in the walnuts. Mom’s recipe balances the sweet-tart flavors perfectly and, what it lacks in looks it makes up for in flavor, ten-fold!
Last weekend, we went to our friends’ house for a bbq. We enjoyed sitting in their yard that was bursting with fruit trees surrounded by a soft grass carpet. An herb + veggie garden ran the length of the patio. It was like being on vacation somewhere far from home. We relaxed, chatted, munched on good food while the kids ran loose. It didn’t take Daisy long to toss her sandals aside and make herself at home. She had a blast with our friends’ son, Alex. She followed him around wherever he went, calling out his name in a sweet, yet admittedly bossy tone….
Alex?
Alex!
Alex.
Aaaaaaleeeex?
The pomegranate is an ancient symbol of happiness and marriage. It represents the family and is prominent in Persian and Armenian cuisine. Fesenjan is one such dish that incorporates rich pomegranate molasses with toasty walnuts. It strikes the perfect balance between sweet and sour, just like life. This is not the most attractive dish on the planet, but it’s very easy, very quick, and intensely delicious. Cinnamon and a smidge of orange peel add a homey warmth to the sauce.
Some people prefer the walnuts ground to a fine powdery consistency. Dad likes the crunch of larger morsels. So I give mine just a quick chop.
Pomegrante & Walnut Chicken (Fesenjan)
Serves: 6
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30-45 mins
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 30-45 mins
This is my rendition of the traditional Persian fesenjan aka fesenjoon which is often served at Armenian weddings.
I added orange zest and garlic to give it more oomf.
Make it one day ahead as it is even better the next day.
It freezes really well, too. So, double the batch and toss one into the freezer for Ordinary Tuesday when you just want to come home, give the stove the night off and put your feet up.
Ingredients
2 lbs chicken thighs
1 large onion
1 clove garlic
1 tsp turmeric
2 lbs walnuts, chopped
1 cup pomegranate molasses
1 Tb cinnamon
1 tsp orange zest
1 Tb brown sugar (or honey)
Mom’s fluffy Basmati rice
Mom’s fluffy Basmati rice
Instructions
Put chicken in a deep pot and cover with water.
Add a bit of salt and pepper and cook on medium heat
for about 10 minutes, skimming the residue from the top.
Remove chicken, cut into bite-sized pieces.
Reserve the broth which can be used to cook the rice.
Chop and brown the onion.
Mince the garlic and add it to the onion.
Once fragrant and golden, add turmeric, salt and pepper.
Chop walnuts and add to the pan to toast.
Add the pomegranate molasses. I prefer Cortas brand.
Finish with orange zest, cinnamon and sugar.
Lower the heat and allow the sauce to thicken and caramelize.
Adjust the sweetness and tartness to your liking by adding more brown sugar and/or pomegranate syrup.
Add the chicken to the sauce and finish cooking it on really low heat.
Serve with fluffy basmati rice and a crisp green salad.
Oh, how I miss those plump li’l hands and those pretty curls. Looking at Daisy, I often think about her future. She’s growing up oh-so fast. What will she choose to do for a living? Will she get married? Will he be a good boy from a good family? I dream of her wedding day, a big, bountiful celebration.Watching Alex & Daisy together that day reminded me of how simple it is to be happy. By the time the sun had set, he was serenading her with his ukulele and the two had settled down on the soft grass together, like an old married couple. And, we parents couldn’t have been more proud.
Haha they are so cute, taking a million photos wouldn't be enough (though you have plenty of time to achieve that 🙂
Simplicity, happiness and good chicken – how could it get better? 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
Yes, thanks, Chippy. Hope you try this one. It's SO delicious. xo
love the picture with the guitar. too cute! this looks and sounds like the most comforting dish ever.
Colette – such a sweet story of Daisy and Alex, and love the photos, too. Perfect nights like that are magical…
The chicken dish sounds so good, and I have all the ingredients on hand. Guess what Mark and I are havin tomorrow!!! It reminds me of an appetizer dip called muhamara, but I like this better because it is a main course. Will let you know how it goes! ~ David
It's a very cozy dish. Hope you like it, V. xo
Oh, you should try Mom's muhamarra. Lip-smackin' good!
Fesenjan is similar, you're very correct, but it's more soothing, b/c it doesn't have the heat from the peppers that muhamarra does.
Can't wait til you try it. Hope Mark likes it.
Let me know! xo
Colette – I have all the ingredients now – can I make this a day or two in advance? Let me know! I am so excited to try this. xox
Definitely, it's more tasty if you the sauce sits for a day. Then, all you have to do is reheat it gently and just make the rice and your salad. Anoush! oxo
Colette, what a lovely post – I really enjoyed looking at the wonderful pictures of your daughter and her friend – and that pomegranate walnut chicken looks like a dream – I saw pomegranate molasses at one of my favorite stores the other day and was asking myself what one could possibly prepare using this ingredient – now I know! Thanks for posting this delicous sounding recipe!
Have a lovely Sunday!
P.S.: I like “Colette cooks” for a new blog name, definitely!
Andrea doll, grab a bottle of that pom syrup and give this a try.
I've got a couple of very interesting dips coming up – the flavor combos are so unusual!
Thanks for your vote on my new blog name. Hope your Sunday is lazy! oxo
I tried making Fesenjoon before too, but I used lemon juice in place of the Pomegranate molasses. I don't know if that has the right flavor though. I never tried the “real” dish before but I'm guessing that the pomegranate molasses makes a big difference, right? Do you know if there's something to use as a substitute or is it possible to make pomegranate molasses easily?
P.S. Can't wait for your Nazook recipe!!
Hi, Felice. You really do need the pom molasses to get the right flavour and consistency. I did find some on amazon.jp, but too pricey. I suggest you stop by local Arabic/Persian restaurants in your town and ask where they get their goods. Please let me know if you try my fesenjan. Nazook is posted. Arigato!
Definitely! I just found a recipe for how to make your own pomegranate molasses so just need to find some juice. I think I can get that here in Japan. I just noticed you wrote it was traditionally made with rabbit. Interesting! Anyway, will report when I make this and nazook!
Great! Happy to hear that, Felice. Back when we moved to the States, all you could get was bottled, room-temp pom juice with a dusty sediment at the bottom. The last few years, Pom has become all the rage (fresh pomegranate juice). Not sure if it appeals to the Japanese palate, but I know you'll find it. Keep me posted!