Fesenjan

Fesenjan (or khoresh-e fesenjan) is one of the most celebrated dishes of Persian cuisine: chicken or duck simmered slowly in a thick, glossy sauce made from finely ground toasted walnuts and pomegranate molasses. The result is a deep mahogany stew that balances sweet and sour.

Traditionally served over fluffy saffron-streaked basmati rice and jewelled with fresh pomegranate seeds, it is a dish reserved for weddings, celebrations and the autumn harvest.

Fesenjan dates back centuries and was a favourite at the royal courts of Persia; walnut shells excavated near Persepolis hint at how old the pairing of nuts and fruit is here. Regional versions swing sweeter (around Isfahan) or more sour (in the north near the Caspian).

It holds pride of place at Yalda, the winter-solstice feast, where pomegranate symbolises the sun and rebirth. Making it well is considered a mark of a skilled Persian cook.