Ethnic Eats Recipe (1)

Ingredients

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 cups hot water or chicken broth
2 1/2- 3 pounds chicken pieces, washed and dried
2 cups ground walnuts
1 cup fresh pomegranate juice (or 3 tablespoons pomegranate syrup)
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2-3 tablespoons sugar, or to taste
salt and pepper to taste

Directions

Sautee onions in oil until slightly golden. Add chicken pieces and brown on both sides. Add hot water or broth and bring to boil. Turn heat down and let simmer for about 30 minutes, adding more liquid if needed. Remove chicken pieces. Add ground walnuts and pomegranate juice or paste (if using pomegranate paste, you may need more liquid), and tomato paste. Stir to combine. Add sugar until the desired balance of sweet and sour is achieved, stirring to combine until well blended. Bring back to a boil over high heat, then lower heat and simmer 10 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Return chicken pieces to the pan and coat with sauce. Cover and simmer 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. (Fat can be skimmed off the surface of the sauce before serving.).

Care should be taken to cook long enough so that the oil in walnuts comes out and the mix becomes quite thick. Serve with white rice.

Look for more "Ethnic Eats" recipes on Clevelandmagazine.com throughout the month of December.