Tick of Yum

What the heck is Fesenjan?  I thought the same..... initially.  Now it is one of the most fabulous, special (easy) meals that I have made!  A special shout out to Helen who suggested I try it - thank you SO much!!  

It is not a meal for the pressed-of-time people.  This will take at least 2-3 hours and best made the night before eating (we ended up eating it 2 days after cooking) to really bring out the flavours.  But fabulous if you want to make something early for a day you know is going to be busy.

It is a Persian "stew" really, in the basic sense of the word.  But only the way that a great curry is only a stew.  Don't get me wrong, this is by NO means a curry!!!  Not at ALL - this is NOT a spicy/hot meal  But, it has (for me) the same hallmarks of a curry.  It is surprisingly different to the flavours I grew up with, has a strong flavour, best eaten the next day after so the flavours intensify, and after you have finished it has a lingering burst of flavour in your mouth.

We sat down to the meal with only a small idea of what the meal would be like (we both had a little taste as it was cooking) and then we started eating.... and suddenly there was silence as we ate mouthful after mouthful slowly and with intense pleasure.  When we finished the meal... John and I looked at each other and without a word of a lie... both said "WOW" at the same time.

This is not, as mentioned, a spicy meal.  Don't worry about this being "hot" - it isn't, and it is full of flavours you will recognise - they're just in a different combination that you might have had before!  After all, cinnamon, nutmeg, onion, garlic... pretty common... but slowly cooked with walnuts, chicken and Pomegranate Molassas... it is absolutely wonderful!!!

After Helen mentioned the name of the dish in a commenthttps://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=628985410528419&id=134379433322355" target="_blank" rel="nofollow"> facebook post after I had put a post regarding a marinade made with pomegranate molassas - I looked it up.  I found this recipe which is what I based my conversion on.  If you read the comments, there is quite the discussion whether garlic or saffron should or should not be included.  As with ANY recipe... put in the things you like and leave out the things you don't!  Don't sweat the small stuff guys.  I did use garlic (yum) and I didn't use saffron.... because I didn't have any.  :-)

Fesenjan.  Serves 2-4

Ingredients:

• 30g olive oil
• 1 small onio
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 100g walnuts
• 100g pomegranate molassas
• 500g  stock (or 500g of water with 1 heaped teaspoon of stock concentrate (I used chicken)
• 1 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoons saffron (optional)
• 1 lime juice 
• 600-650g of cubed chicken thighs
• salt to taste

Method:

• grind any spices you may need to grind, set aside.  No need to clean the bowl but take out as much of the spice as you can with a small pastry brush
•  add the onion and garlic
• chop of speed 6 for 3-5 seconds
• scrape down and add the oil
• saute for 4 minutes on 100, speed soft
• add the 
• walnuts, 
• pomegranate molassas
• stock (or water with stock concentrate)
• ground pepper
• cook on 100oC for 25 mintues, speed 1
• add the chicken
• REVERSE
• cook for 30 mintues on 100oC speed soft / speed one (as slow as you can get it where it is still turning slightly)
• add the lime juice and salt if needed
• reset the cooking to 60 mintues, 100oC, speed soft / speed one (as slow as you can get it where it is still turning slightly)
• put the meal in your THERMOSERVER and let sit as long as you can. 
• Enjoy with rice and veggies - or potatoes and veggies.  However you eat it... enjoy!!!!

You'll notice it will only serve 2-4.  That is two VERY hungry adults or 2 normal adults and 2 kids (normal or otherwise).  The more "sides" you serve it with the more it'll serve.  It made enough meat for both of us as well as a generous serve for John's lunch.  I heated it up the next day in a small casserole dish (eith a lid) while I baked some potatoes in the oven.  Cooking for another 30 minutes in the oven was just fine!  If you are re-heating in the thermomix, cook on 80oC for 15 mintues, speed 1

I think you could multiply the recipe by half again (ie:1.5x the recipe) to make more without too much trouble. Just make sure you don't go past the 2 litre mark on your Thermomix!

To make HEAPS - I suggest you can triple the sauce recipe... but steam heaps of chicken over the top so you still get all the yummy chicken juices. That way also, you can use the "bone in" poultry pieces that the original recipe recommends. but PLEASE NOTE: to STEAM, you will need to cook on VAROMA temp rather than the 100oC I use here, so PUT IN EXTRA WATER to allow for the steaming, and keep and eye on the liquid situation so it doesn't turn into a gluggy mess.