Fesenjan (or Fesenjoon) is a Persian Stew made with ground walnuts and pomegranate sauce. It is one of the authentic stews in Iran that is originally from Gilan province. Fesenjan is considered one of the wonders of Persian cuisine. The main nutritious element of Fesenjan is walnut and chicken.
Fesenjan is also named Persian Pomegranate Chicken in Western countries. Chicken pieces are first browned and then slowly cooked in a sauce with ground toasted walnuts and pomegranate molasses.
The original Persian recipe tends to be more on the sour taste, and Iranians love it this way more. Still, in some recipes, sugar is also added to add that extra sweet taste.
It might seem hard to cook Fesenjan by its long-time of simmering, but it is one of the simplest dishes in Persian cuisine. Traditionally, Fesenjan was made with duck or turkey. Still, today it is more common with chicken and meatballs. For a vegetarian Fesenjan, the protein could be replaced with anything such as grilled tofu, grilled eggplant, or roasted squash.