Persian Khoresht-e Fesenjan: Pomegranate Walnut Chicken Stew

As a child I was terrified of khoresht-e fesenjan. The brown, sludgy appearance of this dish evoked revolting associations. As an adult, I still don't find the dish to be very photogenic, but I do find it to be very appetizing. It is a classic. Every Persian mom has her version of this satisfying sweet and sour stew. The crucial ingredient for this recipe is the pomegranate paste. The pomegranate paste I'm using here is from Iran, but there are some varieties of the thinner pomegranate molasses that can be found in the States at Middle Eastern markets. Sadaf makes a version of pomegranate molasses that is decent. If you can get your hands on the real stuff from Iran, I highly recommend using it. It makes a difference. Ingredients: 1 lb chicken (chicken breast, wings, whatever parts you like) 1 onion chopped 3/4 lbs walnuts 1 heaping tablespoon pomegranate paste or 1/2 cup pomegranate molasses 1.5 cups room-temperature water pinch of saffron dissolved in a tablespoon of boiling water 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp turmeric 1 tbspn sugar salt and pepper Directions for Khoresht-e Fesenjan: Grind the walnuts in a food processor. It is not enough for the walnuts to be chopped. You need to obliterate them! Keep grinding until the walnuts clump together like a nut butter. Salt and pepper the chicken pieces. In a dutch oven, over medium heat, sauté the chicken with the chopped onions. Dissolve the pomegranate paste or the pomegranate molasses in the water. Once the chicken is browned, add the watery pomegranate mixture and the ground walnuts. Also add the dissolved saffron. Add the turmeric and cinnamon to the dutch oven. Mix everything together and wait until it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 2 hours, occasionally stirring the mixture to ensure that the walnuts don't burn. About 1.5 hours into the simmering process, taste the stew and add sugar accordingly. I only add 1 tbspn of sugar but many folks prefer this dish sweeter. After 2 hours of simmering, the final product should be a dark, rich brown. You should be able to see that the walnut oil has separated from the walnuts. Serve over rice.