Fesenjan

Fesenjan is Persian cooking at its most patient. Ground walnuts are toasted and simmered for hours until their oils thicken the sauce to silk, then balanced with tangy pomegranate molasses that gives the stew its glossy, mahogany depth.

Chicken is braised gently in this sauce until it falls from the bone. The result is a dish that tastes ancient — it was served at Persian royal courts a thousand years ago — and is best eaten spooned over saffron rice, ideally with a piece of crisp tah dig on the side.