Faisinjan - chicken in walnut & pomegranate s

4 Servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
Stephen Ceideburg
1 Chicken
Olive oil
1 Chopped onion
250 grams Walnuts, coarsely ground
6½ Pomegranates, juice only
1 small Lemon, juice only
3 tablespoons Brown sugar
1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

This classic Persian dish was originally made with game birds, but is fine with chicken - or duck if you prefer. With its scattering of pomegranate seeds and walnuts it is very decora- tive.

Disjoint a chicken (or use chicken pieces) and brown in a little olive oil in a heavy pan with a lid. Remove the chicken and set aside. Brown a chopped onion in the remaining oil. Add 250 g very coarsely ground walnuts and cook gently for a minute or so.

Add the juice of 6½ pomegranates and 1 small lemon, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, a teaspoon ground cinnamon and salt and pepper to taste.

Bring to a simmer and return the chicken to the pan. Cook gently for 1 ½ hours until very tender.

Taste and adjust the sweet-sour balance if necessary. Serve over steamed rice and scatter over the dish the seed sacs of the remaining half pomegranate and a handful of coarsely chopped walnuts.

Posted by Stephen Ceideburg

From an article by Meryl Constance in The Sydney Morning Herald, 5/11/93. Courtesy Mark Herron.

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