Chickpea Fesenjan

Chickpea Fesenjan is an Iranian stew from Gilan province, Iran. It is part of the of the dinner table on Shaba Yalda when families get together to celebrate the longest night of the year and the beginning of winter. It has a distinctive grainy sour taste as it is flavoured with ground walnuts and pomegranate paste. It is traditionally made with poultry ie either duck or chicken. Here I have made a vegan version using chickpeas to replace the meat. I couldn't find pomegranate paste so I had to settle for pomegranate juice instead.

​Ingredients (serves  4)

1. 1 cup roasted/baked walnuts
2. 1/2 cup pomegranate juice 
3. 2 tbsp olive oil
4. 1 yellow onion, diced
5. 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper (more if needed)
6. 1 of 425gm chickpeas can,  drained and rinsed
7. 1 cup vegetable broth
8. 1 tsbp brown sugar
9. 1/2 tsp turmeric powder
10. 1/2 tsp cinnamon powder
11. 2 tbsps pomegranate and 1 tbsp chopped parsley for serving

Method
1) First process the baked/roasted walnuts to a fine meal. Set aside.

2) Take a medium sized pot and heat the olive oil. Fry the yellow onion. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for around 5 minutes until the onions are soft and translucent.

3) Now add the chickpeas, veg broth, walnut meal, pomegranate juice, brown sugar, turmeric powder and cinnamon powder. Stir to combine and bring to a boil,

4) Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until thick and stew like. 

5) Serve over a bed of Basmati Rice/Jasmine Rice and garnished with pomegranate arils and pasrsley leaves.