With many of you observing Lent, Sarakosti or Ramadan (Veganadan), you may well be searching for inspiration for plant-based meals. If you normally add meat to your diet, this is a long time to maintain your creativity in the kitchen and stay vegetarian or indeed vegan. Many meat-based recipes are easy to convert into delicious plant-based meals. Fesenjan is a very good example. A popular traditional Persian stew made with chicken. This recipe swaps the chicken for cauliflower, which is perfect for saucy recipes like this. It absorbs the sauce’s flavour well but retains its texture. For me, this is a crucial quality for a vegetarian recipe. The sauce also relies on the creaminess of walnuts rather than any added dairy.
The traditional stew often adds chickpeas, which help balance the richness of the sauce. By all means, swap the cauliflower for chickpeas or add them to the dish. The richness of the sauce pairs well with a green or cucumber salad and a side of rice (or even saffron rice). We are using mostly store-cupboard ingredients, except for the pomegranate molasses and pomegranate arils. They are vital! I’ve stuck pretty much to the classic recipe; some recipes call for saffron and/or cumin. A touch of saffron lifts the dish, but the cumin is optional.
I’ve noticed there is another vegetarian recipe with aubergines. However, they are not in season yet, so it’s probably more of an Autumn swap. Fesenjan is often served with a Shirazi salad; the Indian Kachumbar salad is very similar and would make a great accompaniment.
Cauliflower Fesenjan (Persian Pomegranate and Walnut Stew)
Equipment
- a large and deep heavy-based frying pan
Ingredients
- 1 kilo (approx) cauliflower – broken into small florets
- 1 cup cooked chickpeas, optional – not in the photographed recipe
- 2 medium onions – coarsely minced
- 3-4 cloves garlic – finely sliced
- 230 g walnut – dry toasted
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 2-3 cm cinnamon stick
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp cardamom
- 3 cm strip of orange peel
- pinch saffron thread bloomed in a little warm water, optional
- ½ tsp cumin, optional
- 500 ml stock of choice
- 4 tbsp pomegranate molasses
- 1-2 tbsp honey, optional
- olive oil
- salt and ground pepper
- ½ cup pomegranate arils to garnish
- small handful of coriander or mint leaves (to garnish)
Instructions
- Grind the toasted walnuts, but don't overdo it; you'll end up with a paste rather than roughly grind. Set aside.
- In the same pan, fry the onions until translucent, then add the garlic and all the dry spices, the cauliflower, and the orange peel. Cook for a couple of minutes, then add the walnuts, stir well, and add half the stock. Bring to a boil, then return to a gentle simmer. Add the pomegranate molasses. Coat the cauliflower in the sauce, and add more stock if the cauliflower is not at least ¾ covered.
- Simmer gently until the sauce has thickened and the cauliflower is cooked. Add more stock accordingly. Taste for seasoning: add salt, black pepper, and, if necessary, a little honey to balance the flavour.
- Serve with a green or cucumber salad.
Notes
Nutrition
Fesenjan is one of several cauliflower recipes. All very easy and vegetarian. Take your pick:
Reader Interactions