Khoresht Fesenjan Recipe (with Video)

Preparation
1. Start with prep: finely dice onions.
2. Remove seeds and chop/smash dates into a paste.
3. Throw walnuts into a food processor and turn into a fine paste.
4. Crush saffron and add 1/4 c water to bloom it.
Stew Preparation
1. In a large pot over medium high heat, sauté onion with a generous pinch of salt and turmeric.
2. Once translucent, add walnut paste.
3. Continue to sauté until oil begins to leech out of the walnuts and the mixture is nicely toasted a brownish color.
4. Add pomegranate molasses, date paste, and the saffron water along with a generous pinch of salt.
5. Stir to combine, and add the other 4 c of water.
6. Bring to a boil, cover with the lid, and simmer over low for at least two hours.
Chicken Preparation
1. With about 15 minutes left of the stew simmering, generously season chicken legs and sear over high heat until nicely colored golden brown on both sides.
2. Pull off the heat and add to the stew.
3. Pour in a little water to the pan you cooked the chicken in and scrub to get the fond off the bottom.
4. Add this deeply flavored water to the stew.
5. Simmer for another hour or until the chicken is fully cooked through.
Final Steps
1. If you would like to get an extra smooth fesenjan, remove chicken and blend with an immersion blender then add the chicken back in.
2. Stew should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.
3. Serve with rice, and optionally garnish with pomegranate seeds and chopped parsley.