Khoresht-e Fesenjan (خورش فسنجان) — Persian Pomegranate and Walnut Stew

• 1200 gChicken thighs, bone-in and skinless (about 6 pieces)
• 10 gFine sea salt (divided, plus more to taste)
• 2 gGround black pepper (about 1 tsp)
• 30 mlNeutral oil (such as sunflower or canola)
• 400 gYellow onions (thinly sliced for fried onions (piaz dagh))
• 350 gWalnut halves (raw, then toasted)
• 1200 mlWater (divided; more as needed)
• 180 mlPomegranate molasses (unsweetened if possible)
• 36 gGranulated sugar (about 3 tbsp; adjust to taste)
• 2 gGround cinnamon (about 1 tsp)
• 0.2 gSaffron threads (about 1/4 tsp)
• 30 mlHot water (for blooming saffron)

Instructions

1. 1

   Bloom the saffron: crush saffron threads to a fine powder, then stir with 30 ml hot water (not boiling, about 80–90°C). Cover and steep 15 minutes. Meanwhile, pat chicken dry and season with 6 g salt and all the black pepper; let it sit 15 minutes at room temperature for more even browning.

2. 2

   Make fried onions (piaz dagh): heat 45 ml oil in a wide pan over medium heat. Add sliced onions and cook 20–25 minutes, stirring often, until deeply golden and sweet, not burnt. Lower heat if edges darken too fast. Transfer onions to a plate; leave any flavorful oil in the pan for searing the chicken.

3. 3

   Toast and grind walnuts: in a dry skillet over medium-low heat, toast walnuts 6–8 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and slightly darker. Cool 5 minutes, then grind to a fine meal in a food processor. Avoid turning it into walnut butter; pulse and scrape the bowl as needed for an even, sandy texture.

4. 4

   Brown the chicken: add 30 ml oil to the pan (use the onion pan if possible) and heat over medium-high. Sear chicken 4–5 minutes per side until well browned. Transfer to a pot or Dutch oven. Add the fried onions to the pot and stir 1 minute over medium heat to coat the onions in the rendered chicken juices.

5. 5

   Build the walnut sauce: add ground walnuts to the pot and cook 2 minutes over medium, stirring, to lightly toast and prevent a raw taste. Add 800 ml water and whisk well to dissolve any walnut clumps. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, partially cover, and simmer 60 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes so the walnuts do not stick.

6. 6

   Season and simmer to richness: stir in pomegranate molasses, sugar, cinnamon, and the remaining 4 g salt. Add the browned chicken back into the sauce. Simmer very gently 60–75 minutes, partially covered, until the chicken is tender and the stew turns darker and glossy. Add up to 400 ml additional water gradually if it thickens too quickly.

7. 7

   Finish with saffron and balance: stir in the bloomed saffron and simmer uncovered 10 minutes to perfume the stew. Taste and adjust the sweet-sour balance: add 10–15 ml more pomegranate molasses for more tang, or 6–12 g more sugar for more sweetness. Rest off heat 10 minutes so the oil rises and the flavors round out.