Presented here is a chicken stew form the Caspian region of northern Iran. Caspian cuisine is characterized by its: very limited use of spices, very liberal use of local herbs, and slightly sour flavor theme. Caspain pomegranate is the most acidic among all the Iranian varieties of the fruit; the resulting molasses is usually preferred by those who do not enjoy the sweet and sour balance of pomegranate molasses from other regions of the country. It should not escape the reader's notice that pomegranate molasses, an iconic Persian ingredient, is the most essential ingredient in the making of
Fesenjoon, the beloved Persian pomegranate, and walnut stew.
Ingredients:
2.2 Pounds (~ 1 kg, 1 small, or half a large) whole chicken (or 4 thighs)
1 Pound yellow onions, very thinly sliced*
3 cloves of garlic, crushed
2 TBSP cilantro stems, finely chopped
1 TSP dried fenugreek
½ TSP turmeric
1 TBSP tomato paste
1 cup pomegranate juice (or TBSP pomegranate molasses, if you don't mind the darker color)
1 cup pomegranate arils
* The goal is for the onions slices melt into a final gravy.
In a preheated pot, set on medium-high heat, brown the chicken. Remove the chicken from the dish, reduce the heat to medium, and add the onions slices. Caramelize for 15 to 20 minutes. Add the crushed garlic, cilantro stems, and fenugreek. Cook for another five minutes. Add the tomato paste, turmeric, and the molasses (if you choose to) and toast in the oil for a further minute.
Return the chicken to the pot. Add the pomegranate juice (or the same volume of water, if molasses is used), cover the pan, reduce the heat medium-low and cook the bird for 30 to 40 minutes. You should turn the bird around once and halfway through the cooking. In the last five minutes of the process, add the pomegranate arils. Do not steer the stew and only let the arils briefly change color.
Serve with white rice or some glorious
Persian rice. Caspian cuisine heavily relies on rice as its staple carbohydrate.
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