Khoresh-e Fesenjan

Ingredients

• 400g shelled walnuts
• 8 chicken thighs, bone in and skin removed, or 1 duck jointed
• 2 onions, finely chopped
• 3 tbsp sunflower oil
• 0.5 tsp ground turmeric
• 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon
• 200ml pomegranate molasses
• 1 to 2 tbsp sugar, to taste
• 800ml water
• 1.5 tsp salt
• 0.5 tsp black pepper
• Large pinch saffron, steeped in 2 tbsp hot water
• Seeds of half a pomegranate to garnish
• Steamed basmati rice to serve

Before you cook

• Toast the walnuts in a dry pan over medium heat for 6 minutes until they smell nutty, then cool them completely.
• Grind the cooled walnuts in a food processor to a fine paste that just begins to clump.
• Chop the onions finely.
• Season the chicken with salt and pepper.
• Steep the ground saffron in the hot water.

Steps

1. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.
2. Brown the chicken thighs on both sides for about 8 minutes total, then lift them out.
3. Add the remaining oil and cook the chopped onions for 12 minutes until soft and pale gold.
4. Stir in the turmeric and cinnamon and fry for 30 seconds.
5. Add the ground walnuts and stir constantly for 5 minutes so they toast lightly without catching.
6. Pour in the water and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring to loosen the walnut paste.
7. Simmer uncovered on the lowest heat for 60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes to stop the base sticking.
8. Watch for the moment the walnut oil rises and slicks the surface, which tells you the sauce is ready for the sour element.
9. Stir in the pomegranate molasses, the salt and 1 tbsp of the sugar.
10. Return the chicken to the pot and push it under the sauce.
11. Cover partly and simmer for a further 60 minutes, until the sauce is dark brown, thick and glossy and the chicken is tender.
12. Taste and add more sugar if the sourness is too sharp, or more molasses if it tastes flat.
13. Stir the saffron water through the stew and take it off the heat.
14. Rest the fesenjan for 15 minutes so the oil settles on top.
15. Scatter with pomegranate seeds and serve with plain steamed basmati rice.